The War Games

What a perfect 10 part story it doesn’t slow down pace it’s like a jump sprint all the way I loved it but this is far from the end for the 2nd doctor

The War Games marks the end of black and white 1960s Doctor Who and the end of Patrick Troughton's superb reign as The Second Doctor. These aren't the only seismic changes which can be found within these mammoth 10 episodes. It features the introduction of the term 'Time Lord', The Doctor's home planet (not yet named) and an explanation as to why he left. It was a brave and brilliant move to confirm that The Doctor does not necessarily see eye to eye with the rest of his race, disapproving with their 'hands off' approach to the universe. This story also features the first re-occurrence of the sonic screwdriver since its introduction in Fury from the Deep. Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke are working hard to consolidate and extrapolate on the show's lore - which we should be grateful for. Not only does this story establish so much of what becomes vital to Doctor Who in the future, but it also has one of the most ingenious plots at the centre of it that the show has ever seen.

The Doctor, Zoe and Jamie uncover a plot to conquer the universe. Brainwashed soldiers are being taken out of their time and tricked into believing that they are fighting their own wars in simulated environments. The aim is to create an unbeatable army which can be used for plotter's own purposes. Luckily, there are rebels who have managed to overcome these brainwashing efforts. They group together with The Doctor and his companions to overthrow this corrupt prison.

The War Lord, the malevolent Time Lord in this story acts as yet another 'proto-Master' villain. This character is just one of many enemies The Doctor faces in The War Games. It needs these extra elements due to its outrageous length. The quality of episodes 8-10 is difficult to rival, which is what makes it my third favourite Second Doctor story. However, I believe it would be fair to say that the first seven episodes could easily be cut down to four. Once you are introduced to the strong concept behind this story, it takes a little too long for the mystery to unfold.

As the adventure draws to a close, it is clear that it is the most epic tale The Doctor has ever had to face, so dangerous in fact that he has to bite the bullet and inform the authorities on his home planet. He knows that this move will consign him to a trial himself, as he regularly breaks the conventions of his people. The consequences of handing himself in were so much greater then he ever could have guessed.

The Doctor's defence of his actions is powerful, he demands that the Time Lords see snippets of the enemies he has defeated (including the Quarks!) He makes a spirited justification of regularly interfering with events to put a stop to evil. The Time Lords accept that this is a difficult moral quandary for them, but after careful consideration simply believe it is unforgivable for him to interfere to the extent that he does.

The War Lord and his assistants are dematerialised as punishment, which marks The Doctor's victory. However, he has to lose Zoe and Jamie, who's memories of almost all of their time with The Doctor are tragically removed as punishment. This, especially for the longest running companion Jamie is drastic, he finds himself back in The Highlands where he began. The Doctor's own punishment is a banishment to Earth and a loss of his Space and Time travel capabilities. Again, we can see the writers shaping the form of the show to come - it could barely be more exciting. The Doctor is defiant as he is forced into a regeneration, it is a wonderful closing chapter to a version of the character which has undoubtedly changed the essential nature of the show forever.

I cannot wait to begin the show's third leg and am delighted to see Doctor Who more fleshed out than ever. Patrick Troughton has out shined William Hartnell's excellent efforts and has finished his time on a definite high. This is a story I will always hold dear - top stuff!

The War Games saw two milestones for Doctor Who. The first is that it's the longest Doctor Who story to date (unless you count Trial Of A Time Lord as one story) told in a whopping 10 episodes. The second is that it's the first mention of the name of the Doctor's species and their first appearance onscreen as the Time Lords (a Time Lord had been seen in The Time Meddler as the Meddling Monk but he was never referred to as such).

What makes this serial remarkable however is that over 10 episodes the story never drags. The War Games sees the Doctor taking on the War Chief (Edward Brayshaw), who has taken many historical armies including the Romans and World War 1 fighters out of time and thrown them into simulated versions of the wars they fought. This story feels like it's at exactly the right length and is a suitably epic finale for Patrick Troughton's Doctor. It's a story that echoes elements of the Moffat Era with all these various armies from Earth's history together. You could easily imagine Steven Moffat doing this.

The War Chief is also a great villain superbly played by Edward Brayshaw. It's a shame he never returned to the series as he is brilliant and could easily have become an iconic character to rival the Master. There is even a popular fan theory that he is a past incarnation of the Master and this would make a lot of sense as he shares a lot of the same qualities.

What makes this serial a true classic however are the last two episodes with the Time Lords. There is really no surprise that the Time Lords became such a recognisable alien species from the show. There's a nice element of ambiguity about them that directly mirrors the Doctor's own and you never quite where their moral compass with fall. This is more evident with new series Time Lords but it is arguably still noticeable here given their non-interference policy perhaps leading to the Earth undefended by the Doctor if they didn't decide to let him protect at least Earth. You could easily see the Time Lords allowing Earth to be invaded by the Autons and Nestene Consciousness but equally they interfered with the War Chief's plans. That's what's great about the Time Lords: you never know if they are allies or enemies.

Of course, you can't do a review of any regeneration story without mentioning the Doctor bowing out. Patrick Troughton is absolutely amazing here as his Doctor and is extremely believable at portraying his incarnation in a position where for once the evil cannot be 'fought' with him and his companions alone. You truly believe this is a desperate time for the Doctor where he has no other option but to call in his own people and his speech about his so-called 'interference' to the Time Lords is heartwarming and echoes an earlier one from The Moonbase. This is arguably among the strongest acting and writing the classic series ever saw.

Overall, the War Games is an epic 200 minute regeneration story for the 2nd Doctor and one that was a giant milestone for the show.

I'm not surprised that War Games is so beloved, but a little surprised it is this beloved. It's a fun story and a great send-off to the second doctor. I like how it introduces the Time Lords and reveals, without really spelling it out, why the Doctor ran from them to begin with.

There are some really cool ideas and the story is a fun concept, but I do have some issues with the execution. The story can drag out for a bit before the big Time Lords appearance and in a lot of ways, we just sort of shuffle from war zone to the next with our characters. Jaime and Zoe are always a delight as companions, though, and it is quite the send-off to the TARDIS team of this era. The costuming is impressive but I don't love the effects around Troughton's regeneration, either.

On the whole I would recommend it, but I'm not going to pretend it's my favourite Doctor Who story. As a second doctor adventure, it is quite a bit of fun and you could do a lot worse with these 60s stories. I am grateful it has survived BBC junking and Patrick Troughton is, as always, a delight, right up to the end.