The Romans

Directed by

Runtime

100 minutes

Time Travel

Past

Tropes (Potential Spoilers!)

Romans, Celebrity Historical, Dodgy Parking, First TARDIS trip, Mistaken Identity, Pure Historical, Rewriting History, Slave Labour

Location (Potential Spoilers!)

Earth, Italy, Rome

Synopsis

Landing in Rome, A.D. 64, the travellers take a rare holiday. While Ian and Barbara are happy to relax, the Doctor and Vicki set off to pursue adventure.

However, adventure soon finds Ian and Barbara too as they are kidnapped by slave traders, and the Doctor's imitation of Maximus Pettulian sees him taken to the court of Emperor Nero where he inadvertently plays a part in deciding the course of history...

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4 Episodes

The Slave Traders

First aired

Saturday, January 16, 1965

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

13 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

The travellers decide to take a holiday near ancient Rome, but after a month the Doctor gets restless. He and Vicki determine to visit Rome, and while they are gone Ian and Barbara are abducted by slave traders. All roads lead to Rome, however, and the travellers find themselves at the mercy of the country's petulant emperor, Nero...

All Roads Lead to Rome

First aired

Saturday, January 23, 1965

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

11.5 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

While the Doctor and Vicki meet with Nero, Barbara is taken to Rome to be sold while Ian is forced to work as a galley slave.

Conspiracy

First aired

Saturday, January 30, 1965

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

10 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

Ian and Delos are forced to fight each other for their freedom while the Doctor has to perform for Nero's court.

Inferno

First aired

Saturday, February 6, 1965

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

12 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

Ian and Delos manage to escape from Sevcheria and Tavius agrees to help Barbara rejoin them.The Doctor's attempts to avoid being thrown to the lions inadvertently result in Nero deciding to burn down Rome.

Characters

First Doctor

William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton

William Russell

How to watch The Romans:

Watch on iPlayer

Blu-Ray

The Collection – Season 2

DVD

The Rescue & The Romans

VHS

The Rescue & The Romans (VHS)

Reviews
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16 reviews

Hartnell is the standout in this one. His interactions with Nero are fun and his scenes with Victoria are nice. The rest of the plot is a bit forgettable.

Scottybguud

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Review last edited on 20-03-25

This review contains spoilers!

Basically a good episode. The idea of a Doctor breaking away from his original companions and going to Rome with Vicki while said companions are getting captured and taken is a really good one. But there is one thing that ruins the whole episode, and it is the treatment of Barbara. From the beginning, we understand that she is the one who does everything in the quartet. But what is unacceptable, even unacceptable, is the scene of quasi-rape on the part of Nero who is a complete idiot, totally obsessed, even rapist. Yes, I destroy him. Barbara's treatment doesn't stop there since at the end of the episode, Ian treats her like a slave, making her work because she accidentally hit him in the face, which started this whole adventure . So I beg you, Doctor Who, tell me that there are not too many other episodes that are sexist to this point. Have a good evening.
3/10

Pandhawk

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Review last edited on 2-02-25

This review contains spoilers!

Really enjoy it!
I’d love to see our regulars just having a good time at the beginning. How it pens out is absolutely lovely. Hartnells Doctor having to pretend he is a musician is genius. As a huge fan of the first Doctor, it's always nice seeing this Doctor just enjoying himself and being the chaotic little gremlin that he is! (I refuse to believe in the “Grumpy old man” Idea!!)
Anyways I really love it. Season 2 in many ways is a huge improvement over an already great first Season. Vicki is such a lovely addition to our Tardis Team here. Hartnells Doctor acting like he is playing that instrument is truly delightful, and the comedy (for the most part) works really well.

RandomJoke

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Review last edited on 26-12-24

“Oh something else I forgot to tell you. I think I’ve poisoned Nero.”

The Romans des problèmes. On peut carrément lui reprocher son cynisme et un sens de l’humour problématique. On peut aussi lui reprocher sa négligence et sa légèreté.

Et pourtant il a aussi un charme fou.

Le Docteur et Vicki se baladent en effet dans la Rome antique et ils affrontent carrément Néron. Mais surtout, ils rient de son pouvoir aussi atroce et dangereux que foncièrement ridicule !

C’est donc l’histoire de deux filous face au pire régime possible, pendant que Ian et Barbara survivent désespérément dans un Empire qui anéantit les faibles.

Et du coup c’est presque une autre histoire sur les joies de la résistance et de la solidarité alors que le monde est fou.

“Oh something else I forgot to tell you. I think I’ve poisoned Nero.”

The Romans had problems. You can definitely blame them for their cynicism and a problematic sense of humour. You can also blame them for their negligence and frivolity.

And yet, they also had enormous charm.

The Doctor and Vicki indeed wander around in ancient Rome and they actually confront Nero. But above all, they laugh at his power, as horrific and dangerous as it is fundamentally ridiculous!

So, it's the story of two rogues facing the worst regime possible, while Ian and Barbara desperately survive in an empire that crushes the weak.

And so it's almost another story about the joys of resistance and solidarity while the world is mad.

(Translation generated by AI, so mistakes are possible).

Dogtor

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Review last edited on 11-11-24

One thing The Romans does really well is character work. The main cast are fantastic, and even the side characters get their moments. It's also just really good fun to watch

greenLetterT

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Review last edited on 25-10-24