Well, here we are with another episode that blends different levels of achievement. We have a change of director: in comes Frank Cox, who was last here for The Brink of Disaster. Once again he mostly does a competent but unimaginative job; this time the contrast is minimal since Mervyn Pinfield was working along the same lines. There's one brave scene right at the start, though, as last week's cliffhanger is resolved in near darkness, and it's very effective. Unfortunately the other adventurous choice - blurring Carol's face as the recovering John looks at her - is spoiled by not showing it face-on, which means the camera effect is from John's point of view but the camera angle isn't. Bizarre.
On to the acting, then, and there are fluffs galore. Even Carole Ann Ford stumbles over one line, which is very rare. Despite which, the (still very talky) plot rattles along at a much better pace. We learn that Sensorites have names, and (in a neat reversal of the trial in Millennius) Ian defends the Doctor from a charge of murder. There's some nice character moments - the Doctor mentioning that he never liked weapons, or namedropping Beau Brummel, for instance - and more nuances to Sensorite society (including the fact that the people at the top think it's perfect - what a surprise). The theory of mind expounded by the Sensorite scientist is fun, too.
Meanwhile, the mystery of the plot is getting closer to a solution. I think I've worked it out, but will be interested to see if I am right or if I have missed something big, like I did with Marco Polo. The way the Doctor's coat was ripped is a definite clue - for a second I thought it was just a bad effect that made it look unnatural, but then Ian immediately commented on it. Nice.
Speaking of Ian, his amazingly quick recovery is another mark against him in my "dislike of Action Hero Ian" scorebook. His potential other half, Barbara, is noticeable by her absence - and is obviously in the minds of the TARDIS crew throughout - and, although everything has got along quite well without her I will be glad when Jacqueline Hill returns next time.
The increased pace is the key thing that keeps this from being a poor episode and raises it to mediocre. Which might be damning with faint praise, but that's the way I feel. Still there's a couple more things to mention:
Evolution of a Time Lord, part 1: How Many Hearts?
As we've known since Spearhead from Space, Time Lords have two hearts. This was, of course, a later addition to the show - we won't even hear the name "Time Lord" for almost half a decade - but it's still interesting to see how future continuity fits with what's going on in these early episodes. Some people (including the author of the Wikipedia page for serial G) have tried to use Hartnell's statement "something hit me under the heart" as evidence that he only has one. This is just silly. If I say "something hit me on the arm" do you assume I've only got one? It's not any evidence at all. 'Nuff said.
It's Thingy, from That Other Program, part 1: Peter Glaze
"It's Saturday, it's five fifteen... and it's Doctor Who."
"DOCTOR WHO!!!"
Well, that could have been a catchphrase. But I admit the original works better. I haven't been paying much attention to the cast lists, but given that I've never seen Citizen Kane and so have no extra-curricular interest in George Coulouris, I don't think I've missed anyone important to me until now. And since he was a Sensorite (well, two actually) I think I can be forgiven for not recognising Peter Glaze.
Crackerjack! was a very long-running children's show - 29 series - and despite joining it in 1960 and staying until 1979, Glaze wasn't there for either the beginning or the end. Neither was I, but I watched a good chunk of the middle, mostly because of Glaze and his comedy partner (originally Leslie Crowther, but Don Maclean for most of my time). The fact that it was on at teatime helped too. As I've mentioned before, in the bungalow where I grew up we had a narrow galley kitchen and no dining room, so food was generally eaten on our laps in front of the telly. We weren't the sort of family that had the TV on all the time - you were either watching it, or it was turned off - but it just made sense to watch at teatime. This caused something of a culture clash with my wife when we got married because she came from a family where the telly was on most of the time, but they ate at a table in the kitchen or the dining room. We compromised in the end. But I think our children are on my side when it comes to meals.
Anyway, Crackerjack! was the earliest successful zany, anarchic kids' show, a forerunner of programs such as Tiswas or Dick and Dom in da Bungalow, with gags, games and (eventually) gunge.
Broadcast:
Date: Saturday, 25th July 1964
Viewers: 6.9 million
Chart Position: 29
Appreciation Index: 57
Rating:
5.5/10.
Next Time:
A Desperate Venture.
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