The Savages

Directed by

UK Viewers

4.8 million

Appreciation Index

48

Synopsis

The Doctor, Steven and Dodo arrive in the far future and are welcomed by the advanced civilisation of the Elders but soon begin to suspect they are hiding a secret.

Episode 2 Missing

First aired

Saturday, June 4, 1966

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

5.6 million

Appreciation Index

49

Synopsis

The Doctor, Steven and Dodo investigate why there are Savages in the Elders' city and uncover the true price of the Elders' perfect society.

Episode 3 Missing

First aired

Saturday, June 11, 1966

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

5 million

Appreciation Index

48

Synopsis

The Doctor has been subjected to the Elders' extraction process and Steven and Dodo must return to their city to rescue him.

Episode 4 Missing

First aired

Saturday, June 18, 1966

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

4.5 million

Appreciation Index

48

Synopsis

The Doctor urges the Savages to finally bring an end to the Elders' oppression and enlists the help of an unlikely ally.

Characters

First Doctor

Steven Taylor

Reviews
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6 reviews

This review contains spoilers!

Considering this is the 60s, and is called The Savages, this serial has a surpringly solid political message, though we do still have the blackface. I really wish we had moving images of Jona embodying the Doctor because even listening to it was fun

Steven's exit was deeply stupid and felt very rushed, but you can't win them all

greenLetterT

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Review last edited on 10-01-25

“Exploitation, indeed! This, Sir, is protracted murder!”

C’est presque génial.

Stuart Black fait en effet ses débuts dans la série avec une histoire furieusement politique !

Sauf qu’elle est tout le temps coincée entre sa satire brillante, et un traitement pourtant très dédaigneux des gens qu’elle devrait défendre.

C’est une histoire qui parle d’oppression, mais qui traite le seul personnage féminin de la distribution comme une idiote.

C’est une histoire sur l’exploitation, mais où le méchant a carrément son visage peint en noir.

Dogtor

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Review last edited on 12-11-24

This review contains spoilers!

The Savages: 9/10 - The Savages is a really good depiction of class warfare and uses that plot to tell a fascinating story. I think the characters are all really good with Jano being my favorite. Jano’s depiction of the Doctor works really well. The scene with the Savages in the cave, wary of Edal is really tense and interesting. Stevens departure is a really sad one but ultimately its nice to see a companion not just leave the Tardis, but work to make a society better and improve a world.

Trench16

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Review last edited on 27-06-24

This review contains spoilers!

There is an interesting subtext in this story. Rich society vs. oppressed poor. This is refreshing following the gunfighters! Dodo is good here, her curiosity unraveling the rich folk's scheme, enabling us to begin to see why the savages might be in the position they are.

All of the cliffhangers in this are corkers, starting with the idea that a beastly savage is in fact a frail and exhausted old man.

There are relatively adult themes. The distress coming from Nanina during her energy transfer torture is alarming and The Doctor's defense of the helpless "savages" from the upper class is equally arresting. I love a passionate and socially conscious doctor, who believes that 'progress' is not worth human exploitation, standing up for the rights of minorities.

The Doctor is subjected to the same energy transfer treatment as the savage victims, his life force being sucked out of him you can hear the villains describing the procedure as a great success. I don't believe our hero has ever been in so much danger.

A new order is achieved and the old hierarchy is destroyed but as The Doctor refuses to take the mantel as leader people look to Steven to take the new leadership. It is a shame to see this wonderful character (albeit one who is very much in the same template as Ian Chesterton) go - and with three stories left it feels as if this doctor's reign is slowly coming to an end.

15thDoctor

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Review last edited on 17-06-24

This review contains spoilers!

What an amazing exit story for Steven this story is so underrated it’s a perfect story for Steven for the doctor and dodo as she’s on top form this episode too

Rock_Angel

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Review last edited on 25-05-24