The Tenth Planet - Episode 4

I'm so glad they decided to do a full reconstruction of this, instead of a quick narrative recap. Using telesnaps and the odd brief film-clip, Episode 4 is as good as we'll probably ever see it. They did a great job of recon on this, with nice little touches, like lighting changes, and scrolling interference on the videoscreens. A fast-paced episode which sees the Cybermen finally defeated, and the destruction of the planet Mondas (which I think Ben pronounced "Mandos" at one point). Of special note is, of course, the regeneration of the Doctor. When William Hartnell collapses onto the floor of the TARDIS control room, it is the end of an era...

On the whole, the story was fast-paced and entertaining, and the Cybermen are wonderfully realized monsters. I can see why they were brought back on several occasions in the next few seasons. Thumbs up for this one.

And so the William Hartnell era comes to an end. It's been a long, strange journey. We started on November 23, 2004 with this marathon, and we're only through with one Doctor after almost three months. Quite a journey still lies before us. But, looking back at William Hartnell's era, it becomes clear that Hartnell truly put his own stamp on the role. Without his enigmatic performance, the show would not have lasted nearly as long as it did. At times, his eccentricities did get a bit irritating, and sometimes it was hard to watch William fluffing a line or struggling with some dialogue. The stories themselves were wonderfully varied, with historicals mixed with science fiction. Companions came and went, but none had quite the charm and lasting impression on us as Ian and Barbara. Both were also very instrumental in the early success of the show. The era had its high points (The Aztecs, The Crusade, The Time Meddler, The Dalek Invasion of Earth) and its low points (The Web Planet, The Sensorites, The Space Museum), and everything in between (everything else, naturally). If I was forced to pick a favorite Hartnell story, only choosing from the surviving ones I've watched in the marathon, I would have to go with The Aztecs. Four episodes of wonderful writing, wonderful acting, and even a romance for the Doctor. That's my pick.

Up next, it's the beginning of the Patrick Troughton era as the Second Doctor arrives. Unfortunately, like so many of the early Troughton stories, The Power of the Daleks no longer exists, so we'll be watching some surviving clips from the first episode of Power, and then the earliest surviving complete Patrick Troughton episode, The Underwater Menace Episode 3. You have been warned.