Okay, so the title's a bit of a giveaway. There never was a serial I - probably to avoid confusion with the digit '1', as was the case with the Traveller roleplaying game, 13 years later - but what if there had been? This piece opens with a quote from William Hartnell in which he suggests that the Doctor should meet Robin Hood, and then proceeds to present a collection of extracts from fictional magazine articles about a fictional serial about just such a meeting. In the process, we learn enough about Godfrey Porter's imagined six-parter to at least follow the plot.
It's a neat conceit, but context is everything. As mentioned in my review of Bide-a-Wee, this was one of the first books I read when getting back into Who in 2006. I wasn't aware of most of the publications so the pastiche was lost on me (except for the Time Team extract, having recently read precisely one issue of DWM). All that was left was a fragmented, partial First Doctor story that I couldn't read properly. Back then I would have given it a 1 (or 2 at most) - except that I wasn't aware enough to rate things like that, so instead it was simply the least enjoyable story in the book, a failed experiment.
Fast-forward six years and that has changed completely. I'm far more aware of 'meta-Who', the discussion, documentation and dissection of the program, and can read this in a very different way. The point isn't to experience serial I; it's to revel in the activities of professional fans and fan-servicers. Complete with faithful typing misteaks. And seen like that, it's brilliant. Of course, how much you get out of it depends on how much you like that sort of thing, and it's going to be a pretty marmite story even among hardcore Whovians; but it's a format that has kept me coming back in a way I don't for 'straight' fiction.
Right. I said the point wasn't to experience serial I; but just for fun I'm going to do a review of my imaginary experience of watching it (abbreviated, because nobody wants to see seven more posts on this). Given the nature of Morris' work, it seems in keeping...
The Deserted Castle
Well, this was quite fun. The travellers being mistaken for 'Merry Men' worked well, and fortunately the dungeon sets were excellent. It was obvious that they were cramped, but director Patrick Whitfield's use of tight shots and closeups kept this from intruding too much. I got quite a thrill out of seeing Anneke Wills as Marion - looking in some ways very much like Polly, but with the different makeup turning her into a Polly from another era - and spotting Captain Peacock himself, Frank Thornton, looking quite young as the Sheriff of Nottingham (boo!). The discussion of the reality (or otherwise) of Robin worked well, giving me a flashforward to The Myth Makers, and (particularly in light of this) the reveal at the end left me wanting more. 7/10
The Thief of Sherwood
So it really is Robin, as we encounter our first duplicate of the series. I live in Sheffield, and while I'm a Southerner by birth I have made this my home; and I did wince a bit at William Russell's cod Yorkshire accent. Still, he really manages to convey what a b**** Robin is, in a performance which is very different to his role as Ian. And he must have done some quick changes, given how production worked back then! Apart from Russell's performance, though, this episode was a bit of a letdown. The direction was a lot less effective, and it wasn't helped by so much of the action taking place in the less-than-realistic forest sets. I couldn't even get worked up about Ian's threatened execution at the end. 4/10
The Alchemist
Sigh, back to soundtracks and recons. Thankfully, Russell's narration is as good as ever. As expected Ian's rescue was a bit too easy, but from the sound of it at least Hartnell was having a good time as the apothecary. He does like to get his teeth into a comedy role, doesn't he? Even his classic fluff about turning base metal into coal helps with the tone. I am glad we got to see the explosion at the end (thanks to next week's recap) as well as the short clip of the Doctor making gunpowder, as it really heightened the tension. 5.5/10
Errand of Mercy
Wow, this is quite a step up in quality, and with a fantastic ending. The look is helped by being back in the dungeon, but Whitfield is back on form. It's always good to get some proper, moving visuals after a missing episode, but I think it is genuinely better too. The resolution of last week's cliffhanger is strange, and I think Hartnell must have been on holiday; but that hump is soon past and we get some cracking dialogue. Robin's death (and there certainly is no doubt that he dead, unlike Ian and the Doctor in previous cliffhangers) is quite brutal. Still, at least we won't have to see that twee costume again! 8/10
Ransom
Back to recons again, and I really wish I could see the scene where Ian dons Robin's mantle (or at least feathered cap - I guess I spoke too soon about the costume). Even the telesnaps, which Loose Cannon make good use of as usual, tantalisingly fall to either side of that moment. Then we return to the peddler's shop, which is a great set but rather overused in this story. The trap the sheriff sets leads to a rather visual ciffhanger in an episode that suffers more than some from being missing. 5/10
A Guest for the Gallows
This is a rousing finish, which almost - but not quite - comes off. Unfortunately 1964 TV production couldn't really cope with mass fights like the one that interrupts Susan's execution, and it looks all too stagey. In fact, the set visibly shakes - and apparently the scene had to be edited when one flat fell down! The aftermath is very well handled, though, and it's great the way Ian introduces the "rob from the rich, give to the poor" angle into Robin's legend. 6.5/10
Serial I: The Thief of Sherwood? The Outlaws? The Bandits?
Overall this was an entertaining story, and I particularly liked how Porter's script played around with the idea of the travellers creating the myths that they grew up with. This was very much Ian and the Doctor's chance to shine, and (despite some of Hartnell's problems with lines and Russell's wavering accent) they rose to the moment. There was something of an uncomfortable blend of broad comedy and brutality, and it was definitely overly padded, but I enjoyed it a lot. 5.5/10
An aside: this serial was one of those interfered with in the final story of the collection, That Time I Nearly Destroyed the World Whilst Looking for a Dress. This would have been impossible to film - unless they managed something clever along the lines of the Deep Space Nine episode Trials and Tribble-ations - but was an obviously irresistible target because of the presence of the younger Wills. Still, that's a story for another time...
Published:
Date: March 2004
ISBN: 1-844-35046-0
Rating:
7/10.
Next Time:
Really back to TV (honest!) and the start of season 2, with Planet of Giants.
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