“Lady luck will show you the way, win the game, or here you stay.” 

Rewatched this with the new animated reconstruction. The low rating is for the story overall, as I actually quite liked the animation style and how it fitted with the story.

Much like the previous story in this season, it’s got good ideas and concepts, but the overall execution and story is rather boring. The Toymaker is a brilliant idea for a character, and Michael Gough an excellent choice, but he’s not even in the story much. Him and Hartnell get a few moments, but it seems such a waste when the Doctor is off screen for so long.

We’re left with an awkward story with different segments and different games for the companions to play again different sets of characters. It’s really hit and miss, some of the side characters, like the clowns, are extremely irritating and while one or two of the games are entertaining, it’s mostly fairly repetitive and leaves you with a sense that it could have been more.

Not a favourite, it’s a shame as the ideas are all good.

“You must travel with understanding, as well as hope.”

A great concept for a story, with the four parter being split equally over two different time periods on the same shop, seeing how the Doctor and his presence can affect people. It’s just a shame that the execution and writing is very dull.

The villains aren’t very interesting, and neither are any of the human characters. The Monoids design is unique and fun, but doesn’t make them very threatening in the slightest. The human characters are irritating at best, boring and lifeless at worst.

Even our three leads feel rather distant here. Hartnell is on autopilot, Purves doesn’t get to do anything, and our new addition Jackie Lane isn’t really explored particularly well, other than having her look fairly stupid and annoying in her scenes.

Theres some decent set designs, but it doesn’t help a boringly written and frightfully dull story.

“Kings are recognised only by the power they wield.”

Seems I might be alone in this, but it’s really not for me this one. A dark, gritty and rather depressing set of episodes set in 1500s France. It’s bleak and really delves into the political standings of the era, and while I feel I have learned something of the time period, I found the story itself to be incredible boring.

Perhaps not helped by the entire story being missing, with only the reconstruction to view. It’s a lot of dialogue, a lot of slow paced scenes, and a whole host of characters that I found rather hard to keep up with it all.

Peter Purves does a good job, being the main focus of the story around the other cast side characters. While Hartnell’s role as the Abbot is a fun idea, but doesn’t really actually mean much to the story, and without being able to see the performance, it’s hard to gauge really what was different here. Though, the ending with Hartnell’s little speech is brilliant, and warm.

I can see why people enjoy this, but just didn’t really work for me. Too slow, and really not what I look for in compelling Doctor Who episodes.

"I'm afraid, my friends, the Daleks have won."

Taken me a few days to get through this twelve part epic, most of which sadly no longer exists. It certainly feels like the largest scale story up to this point. It can get a little bit like The Chase, with a couple of the middle episodes totally meandering and meaningless to the rest of the plot. But overall it's a big epic, with a lot of great moments.

William Hartnell and Peter Purves are both great throughout, especially Hartnell. Some of the later episodes giving this Doctor some of his best moments, standing up against the Daleks. Were also treated to new companions who come and go. A highlight being Nicholas Courtney for the first few episodes, it's pretty obvious why they bring back his charisma in later years as a main stay. Both Adrienne Hill and Jean Marsh are nice additions but sadly we don't spend long enough with them. Their time with the Doctor too fleeting.

The Daleks themselves are well utilised, feeling more threatening and less comedic than their last appearance. Theres a real sense of danger and threat to them, whenever they are on screen. Mavic Chen is also a great villain. He's menacing and formidable, and a brilliant performance from Kevin Stoney, it's a shame that more of this performance isn't captured on the existing episodes.

A fun, if a little long and meandering, epic. I wish more of the story was available to watch properly, but as it stands it's entertaining and grand in scale. It could have easily worked as Hartnell's swangsong.

“I think they’re doing more talking than they are fighting!”

Watched Loose Cannon Reconstruction.

An enjoyable story, despite the very lacklustre companion exit not working at all, and the introduction to the new companion coming out of nowhere in the closing moments. It’s a strange choice that doesn’t work for either character really.

Other than that though, the actual Greek vs Trojan story is actually really fun and enjoyable. Seeing the famous story played out on screen with the Doctor having accidental heavy involvement is great. There’s some great side characters and performances from the entire cast, and the story moves at a decent pacing too.

It’s a shame that this story is all missing, as it seems like it would be really fun to watch properly! Still, really enjoyed this!

“I suppose you’ve heard of the Daleks?”

Watched the remake by the University of Central Lancashire on YouTube. A really faithful and fun remake that really does capture the 60s vibes just brilliantly.

The story itself, it’s fine? It’s just build up to something bigger, and doesn’t really have much else to do. Other than that it doesn’t really have much of a story to tell, the Daleks themselves are fine and interesting, and get enough to do, but still feels incomplete without the rest of the story to follow.

Maybe I’ll change my mind when I see The Daleks Masterplan that this is leading too?

“Our appearance shocks you?”

A first time watch for me, watching the animated version through IPlayer. It’s an enjoyable enough little story, with an interesting premise regarding not judging others by appearances or what may first seem to be the case. It’s a shame then that other than this premise and message, it doesn’t seem to do too much more with it.

It gets a little repetitive by the final episode, but the Chumblies are a fun design and idea, even if a little silly and unthreatening. I also liked the Drahvins and their interactions a lot, it gives us more time with Steven, and explores more of his personality than the previous story managed.

The animation is decent, simplistic but fitting for the story nicely, and while not one of the most gripping nor complex stories, I had a fun time with it!

"Never interfere with the course of history!"

An enjoyable historical romp. Certainly elevated by the science fiction elements, a first for the show in a history based story. Certainly a very interesting concept, having another time traveller parallel the Doctor but wanting to meddle with time.

Peter Butterworth as the Monk is a great addition to the plot, a really fun villain. The best moments involve him, with some great dialogue and back and forth between him and Hartnell.

A fun ending to the second season of the show, altering the pure historicals from previous season to strong effect.

“We’ve made it! London, 1965!”

A definition of a mixed bag, but it’s mostly fun, even if very campy and silly at points. The basic plot of the Daleks chasing the crew through time and space is a great idea, allowing for different locales and times, with fun moments at the Empire State and an absolutely bizarre interlude at a haunted house.

The cast are all having a blast, and the ending for Ian and Barbara is nicely done. The Daleks aren’t as threatening as their previous stories but still make a fun appearance here. Perhaps underutilised but enjoyable.

Fun and silly, but with plenty of great moments.

“The least important things, sometimes, my dear boy, lead to the greatest discoveries.”

A strong and unique first episode that utilises time travel and paradoxes really nicely, before descending in a rather boring and mundane series of episodes. It’s predictable and dull for most of its runtime, with a boring side cast, and a generic rebels versus dictators type story.

Hartnell is brilliant here however. Even though he’s not in the third episode, his fun performance in the first two and final episode make up for it. He’s play against Lorbo in the second episode is really strong as well, a darker and more strong willed side to this version who has now become more soft.

The sets are rather generic, and the museum never as impressive as you want. With dull side characters. It’s not bad, but forgettable, though does have a really strong first episode.

“I admire bravery and loyalty, sir. You have both of these. Unfortunately, you haven’t any brain at all!”

A story where not much really happens? It’s not exactly bad or terrible, but it’s a thinly structured plot and mostly very forgettable. Another historical that drops us in and doesn’t really explain the context or history fully, instead letting the audience learn as the story progresses. It could work if there was much of interest here.

Probably not helped by two missing episodes with the reconstructions being the only way to watch, but from the first and third episode, it does seem like they had some decent sets and designs for the costumes.

There’s not a lot for our main cast to do, but we do have two very strong performances Jean Marsh and Julian Glover, neither character that interesting, but both performances some of the best we’ve had so far for side characters.

Fairly forgettable, and feels a little too small scale and short on story for four parts. Not bad, but totally forgettable.

“All so strange, so unnatural. I’ve never seen anything in my life before like this.”

Overly ambitious and sadly that’s its main let down. I’ll give it one thing, it tries something unique and original, but the execution just doesn’t work. Having no human characters other than the main cast leaves a big gap in any sort of emotional connection, and the aliens themselves vary from irritating to outright boring and bland.

Some cool designs, and ideas here and there, but this story would feel stretched with 3 episodes, let alone 6 episodes. It’s such a slog to get through, and perhaps my least liked of all the Hartnell era.

"You know, I am so constantly outwitting the opposition, I tend to forget the delights and satisfaction of the arts, the gentle art of fisticuffs!"

Enjoyed this more this time around. A really fun and silly pure historical, focussed more on the comedic aspect than anything else. Its tone does shift a little too much during the runtime but it's a well paced, and at times genuinely funny little romp.

I think Derek Francis is probably the best guest star the show has had up to this point, a really fun, over the top and campy performance as Nero. He plays off well against Hartnell perfectly. It's a shame the story neglects the new companion Vicki in her first adventure, but she still has great chemistry with the Doctor throughout.

A fun, charming and silly camp romp through Ancient Rome. It works well!

"We're here to help, my child." 

A fun two part story. Well paced and a simple story, but does a good job at introducing us to a new companion in the form of Vicki. A character immediately with more story and development than Susan ever got, and while some of the performance is a bit of a Susan 2.0, I do like how her and The Doctor get along immediately, his grandfatherly and softer side immediately coming through to sooth and ease her. It's sweet.

The story itself is simplistic. With the reveal being rather obvious. I do like the design of the ship, the interior and exterior as well as Koquillion, it's a fun, silly design, but works in the context of the story.

Not my favourite of all time, but it's a nice, fun, simple two parter.