TV Review 6: The Aztecs, written by John Lucarotti (1964)

Broadcast: 23^rd May – 13^th June 1964

Cast:

The Doctor – William Hartnell

Ian Chesterton – William Russell

Barbara Wright – Jacqueline Hill

Susan Foreman – Carole Ann Ford

Autloc – Keith Pyott

Tlotoxl – John Ringham

Ixta – Ian Cullen

Cameca – Margot Van der Burgh

Tonila – Walter Randall

Aztec Captain – David Anderson

First Victim – Tom Booth

Perfect Victim – Andre Boulay

 

Main Production Credits

Producer – Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield

Story Editor – David Whitaker

Writer – John Lucarotti

Director – John Crockett

Designer – Barry Newbury

Costumes – Daphne Dare

Title Music – Ron Grainer, Delia Derbyshire and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Special Sound – Brian Hodgson and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Incidental Music – Richard Rodney Bennett

Make Up – Ann Ferriggi

Production Assistant – Douglas Camfield, Penny Joy

Studio Sound – Jack Brummitt, Hugh Barker, Derek Miller Timmins

 

Story Summary (SPOILERS!):

The TARDIS arrives in 15^th Century Mexico, amongst the Tomb of Yetaxa – a High Priest of the Aztecs. When Barbara emerges from the Tomb, the Aztec leaders mistake her for a reincarnation of the High Priest, proclaiming her as a living goddess.

Working as representatives of Yetaxa, The Doctor and his friends are keenly integrated by the Aztecs into their community. However, when Barbara attempts to use her new influence to try and put a stop to human sacrifice, within Aztec culture; the High Priest of Sacrifice – Tlotoxl, is alerted to their falsehood, and seeks to destroy them, putting all the time-travellers in danger.

Desperate to escape, The Doctor finds out about a secret entrance back into the Tomb, while Ian is repeatedly challenged by the cunning warrior Ixta. Meanwhile, Barbara plays politics, using her new friendship with Autloc, the High Priest of Knowledge to fight off Tlotoxl’s various plots against them. Inevitably, Tlotoxl succeeds in discrediting them, and history remains unchanged, but not before the Time Travellers escape back to the TARDIS with their lives.

 

Story Placement

Between The Keys of Marinus (TV Serial) and The Sensorites (TV Serial)

Favourite Lines

Barbara – “That was the tragedy of the Aztecs. The whole civilisation was completely destroyed, the good as well as the evil.”

The Doctor – “You can’t rewrite history! Not one line! …What you are trying to do is utterly impossible. I know, believe me, I know!”

Barbara – “Not Barbara. Yetaxa.”

Ixta – “What better way to destroy your enemies, than to let them destroy themselves.”

Ian – “You can’t fight a whole way of life, Barbara.”

 Ian – “Where did you get hold of this?”

The Doctor – “My fiancée.”

Ian – “I see. Your what?!”

The Doctor – “Yes, I made some cocoa and got engaged”.

Review:

Out of all of Doctor Who’s TV adventures so far (as of 2021), The Aztecs is perhaps the one serial that closest represents the programme’s original remit, set up by Sydney Newman in 1963 – to educate potential young viewers about subjects of history. The opening scene between Barbara and Susan, acts as the perfect beginner’s guide about the Aztec civilisation; a short, potted summary of the established conceptions of them. Later we join Susan, as she is compelled to learn about Aztec traditions. Interestingly, this never really happens elsewhere in the programme. In all history stories, and in fact, all, serials after this, Doctor Who frames its storytelling, from the perspective of the explorer, or the adventurer, whereas in The Aztecs, it is far more, of the teacher. That turns The Aztecs then, into a rare anomaly, considering that even Marco Polo is based on a potential fictitious historical figure. Despite Sydney Newman’s original intentions to make Doctor Who in part, an educational TV show; the pure historical format instead used recorded history as a framework for an original drama or comedy narrative to thrill and entertain. Even a lot of The Aztecs feels as if to have been worked in this manner. And yet the remnants of the programme’s early mission, do make for an interesting curiosity.

Unlike Marco Polo however, The Aztecs, very fortunately never went missing from the archives, and is an unmitigated joy to boot. The Aztecs is a straightforward moral parable, brilliantly told, with a clarity of focus and storytelling, that makes the drama electric! In part, this is because the whole storyline hinges around the fundamental question of whether Barbara, knowing the Aztecs’ dark and doomed fate, should interfere in their society, culture, and furthermore, history; to help make them a better civilisation. Just a few months into its life, Doctor Who is already inviting its audience to consider and question its nature and purpose as a programme. To me, that very point alone, I find truly amazing – that the show is already so fearless, brave and ambitious, that it’s not afraid to go beyond safe, spoon-fed, and disposable television. It’s one of the reasons I love the show, and particularly this era of Doctor Who so much – the depth of the narrative, the rich variety of storylines, the quiet heroism of its lead characters, but perhaps also its unerring ability to make you think.

Barbara’s moral dilemma in this story, has been quantified in terms of time travel – to change the course of history, regardless of motive. The Aztecs interestingly, also marks the first time Doctor Who acknowledges itself, as a time travel-themed show. The grandfather paradox of trying to change history, but inadvertently changing yourself to the point you can’t go back in time, to change history in the first place; is perhaps one of the biggest and most well-known aspects of Time Travel theory, and Doctor Who is already trying to tackle it head on, albeit in this case, in a fascinating way. Barbara’s motives to attempt this are clearly noble – to preserve human life, and the progressive elements of Aztec culture; but the script floats the idea that history can never be changed; that the timelines even fight back to preserve their original shape. The dilemma also throws some interesting development on the Doctor too, who insists that it’s impossible to change the course of history at all. In the decades since, the programme, and the Doctor, clearly evolve their viewpoint on that, to become rather more nuanced. Plus, it’s hard to determine, whether the Doctor’s conviction, is because of his companion Barbara’s inexperience with matters relating to time travel; or whether he’s just aghast at the damage her action may inflict on future timelines. In The Aztecs at least, though, the course of history, in terms of time travel, can only be set once; and is pre-destined to follow its original path.

So, the moral dilemma, gets reset, by the confirmation of history, turning it into a bit of a moot point. Despite the Time Travel aspect though, the dilemma feels arguably more a cultural and political, rather than a scientific one. Barbara is effectively asking the Aztecs to throw away their own beliefs, traditions and accepted histories, even if it doesn’t automatically fly in the face of their values. Indeed, the Doctor’s remonstration of Barbara is also very much about her trying to overturn a whole peaceful society, and send a culture into turmoil, purely to enforce advanced beliefs on them. This may seem doubly abhorrent to the Doctor, given he still sees the 20^th century beliefs of Ian and Barbara’s home, as fairly backward and primitive too. Even Barbara realises this too, when the story’s narrative concludes, harshly critiquing herself, recognising her foolish arrogance. I like though, how the Doctor sweetly comforts her, by confirming that her motives, however misguided, were pure, and that she did at least help one man – the high priest Autloc.

Autloc and the other Aztecs, not to mention the regular characters, all help to give this dilemma and period epic, a sense of dramatic realism, thanks to their detailed portrayal in the script. John Lucarotti manages to craft a well-rounded and convincing civilisation to represent the Aztecs, and most aspects of their basic beliefs and culture. We witness their religious belief in human sacrifice, and the traditions and mythology that has built up around them; education centres that communicate and reinforce those beliefs and traditions; sophisticated gardens; and the staunch military code of honour and glory, of their warrior classes. All these aspects of the Aztec culture are skilfully joined together, and compliment and clarify the Aztecs’ overall worldview.

Autloc is perhaps the most relatable, and accessible member of the Aztecs, as far as the audience is concerned. He has an open mind, always seeking the truth in events, but at the same time, is almost an impartial, even spiritual arbiter; happy to listen to all parties, to help form the best conclusions. It’s this inbuilt, balanced sense of fairness in Autloc, which gives him an unspoken, almost invincible air of respect among the other Aztecs. Autloc, is also unceasingly kind, which in part proves to be his undoing; as his kindness in supporting Barbara, blinds him to the ultimate truth of her deception in being the high priestess Yetaxa.

Cameca, a friend of Autloc’s, is another fantastic, and subtly written character, with a charming sweetness of heart, and quiet wisdom, which The Doctor picks up on immediately, during his desperation to find more information about the Aztec Tomb. I absolutely love the fondness that develops between them throughout the course of the story, as two, free wise spirits find great comfort, in each other’s company. It supplies the story, with some of its greatest moments, and The Doctor accidentally getting engaged is perhaps one of the most hilarious things, to ever happen in the entire show.

In contrast, is the ruthless Ixta, who is happy to befriend and support anyone who will further his ambition to become supreme Warrior. Ixta is wonderfully amoral, with no malice or bad word to say about anyone; but that just makes him all the more threatening as a villain. Ian and Ixta share some excellent fight talk, and banter between them, each teasing the other.

Tlotoxl is the only real exception, to this intelligent characterisation, in that despite his entertaining bloodthirsty, and devilish nature; he frequently comes across as a bit of a pantomime villain; lurking and plotting around every corner; yearning for the time travellers’ downfall. He eggs on Ixta, at his moment of humiliation, knowing that he can use his anger to strike down his enemies, even greater than before. If it wasn’t for his position of status, he would cut quite a pathetic figure.

The regular characters, meanwhile, are rarely better than they are here. All four of the travellers get some great material, although Barbara, understandably gets the biggest spotlight. In some ways, it’s been a long while coming. Ian maybe the most resourceful and daring one, out of the group, but it’s Barbara, who’s proved herself, in many ways, the intellectual equal of the Doctor, and up till now, even the most heroic.

Barbara can’t contain her curiosity at being in the time of the Aztecs, but cunningly finds a way to keep her friends relatively safe in this new, and fairly hostile environment. However, the more she learns, the more her conscience rules her head, so she tries to undo the backward evils of the Aztecs. Her failure, and the subsequent shock at her own naivety, leads her to fall back onto daring, almost courageous acts of ruthlessness, to help keep her friends alive, and stay ahead of Tlotoxl as much as possible. The strength of her character speaks volumes, as even when the situation is at its most desperate, Barbara finds it within herself to fight back against the odds, just long enough, to allow them time to escape again, at the end of the adventure. Barbara forms a genuine and touching friendship with High Priest Autloc, but that too she is forced to sacrifice, in order to, keep the Time Travellers alive.

The spotlight of the narrative also shines a fair amount on The Doctor too, with a sizeable amount of character development. Although Barbara is the first one to venture out into danger, it is now clearly The Doctor that is mostly leading the time travellers’ adventures. His strategies and cunning planning are what ultimately save them from the increasingly unsettled situation amongst the Aztecs; and it’s an interesting contrast when Barbara’s own bold and instinctive decisions, now make her at odds with the group, and put them further under threat. The Aztecs also marks the first occasion where the Doctor reveals any viewpoint or perspective of his travelling in time. Clearly, he’s experienced enough in his travels, to have ascertained a method, or manner of coexisting or manoeuvring among existing historical events and timelines. However, it’s a method that becomes increasingly flexible, or re-evaluated, the further the TV programme develops over the decades. What’s stark about the Doctor’s reaction here, is its one of combined horror, and resolute conviction. Maybe it points to a failed past interference by the Doctor himself, or another in his past experience? Further in contrast to some of Barbara’s actions, the Doctor manages to effortlessly immerse himself amongst the ancient Aztec society, partly through charm and humility, but also through cunning and observance. He works out very quickly, how to communicate effectively, and even makes a cute friendship, with Cameca, curator of the Aztec gardens, which give us some of the greatest moments in the whole of Doctor Who. Even at the end of the adventure, the Doctor, tellingly, can’t even part with the memento, given to him by the dear Cameca. A rare moment of emotion indeed, for the Doctor, during the 60s era. Over the course of The Aztecs, the character of the Doctor warms a great deal; finally becoming the magical, whimsical, but wise, and avuncular hero, that we recognise more readily today.

Ian on the other hand, is given more lighter material to enjoy. Freed up from no longer being the more-serious lead, the character is allowed a lot more fun, while still being the key focus and regular character charged with all of the action. Ian’s quips with Ixta, certainly add some much-needed levity, to the more dramatic narrative around it, allowing for some great character work, away from the stock fights and action sequences.

Being a teenager, Susan is unfortunately still framed in the more adolescent tropes of being timid or rebellious. Nevertheless, she has some important scenes, layering the more rudimental groundwork, about the Aztec culture, without it feeling gratuitous.

In fact, the four regulars are expertly placed in the overall narrative, each having their own miniature plot. Barbara tries to maintain her fake status, as the reincarnated High Priest Yetaxa, trying to keep her friends alive; meanwhile The Doctor gets to know the local society, seeking a way back to the TARDIS; Ian fulfils the Aztec warrior tradition, and ends up competing with their champion; and Susan is forced to endure Aztec education and attempts to marry her off. As far as I know, this is probably the first story, where each of the regulars, are not just well-written, but all get a fair share of the action or plot between them.

In turn these plots, are overlaid with Tlotoxl’s obsession to overthrow Barbara’s false image as Yetaxa and regain his power hold over the Aztecs. Tlotoxl’s almost Shakespearean powerplay, is to endlessly test Barbara and her friends, for any weakness he can exploit; even pitting them unconsciously against each other. Despite his pantomime villainy, some of his traps are subtly put together; so, the time travellers are often kept on their toes. It helps to build to a climax in episode four, where they only just about gain access to the TARDIS, at the very moment, where Tlotoxl has finally won, and the only choice for the Doctor and his companions is to flee. Despite being very hard fought, including Ian fighting off Tlotoxl and Ixta, the hollow victory of escape, presents a rare and interesting downbeat conclusion, that we don’t see often in Doctor Who, perhaps bar Season Three, where the storylines take a much darker tone.

The perhaps darker subject matter though, is made thrilling by some of the electric performances on offer. John Ringham really brings the material to life, with a passionate and articulate performance as Tlotoxl. Although, the script paints the character with a very theatrical personality, Ringham never overplays it, and arguably helps the dialogue feel positively Shakespearean. Ixta is also turned into a convincing and strong villain, with another passionate, visual, and slightly larger-than-life performance by Ian Cullen. Ixta is a very believable warrior, and Cullen clearly enjoys portraying Ixta’s relish at the successful cunning of his own sadism. Keith Pyott, meanwhile, although rather stagey in moments of action, effectively displays the stillness of Autloc’s inner peace and personal wisdom. In turn, as Autloc’s World falls apart, Pyott believably portrays in stark contrast, a man tired of life, and haunted by the turmoil in his mind.

The four regulars, however, are even better than this stellar guest cast, and arguably at the top of their game here. William Hartnell and Jacqueline Hill are, I think, among the best they’ve ever been, with amazing standout performances, full of conviction throughout. Hartnell makes The Doctor, both measured and stern where it needs to be, but also displaying effortless charm and comic timing in the quieter scenes. Even when The Doctor rages at Barbara for interfering in history, Hartnell moves from electric anger, to delicate softness with ease, once The Doctor relaxes and comforts his distraught friend fondly. Jacqueline Hill equally rises to the occasion, with aplomb, putting up a strong face, when Barbara faces the Aztecs, showing her determined courage, but also bringing out her vulnerability at being pushed to limit, in relatable outbursts of emotion. It says a lot, when these scenes stand up against 21^st century drama, over 50 years later.

William Russell and Carole Ann Ford, despite given less to do, also make the most of their screen time. Russell, maintains a confident portrayal, as the ever dependable, loyal and active Ian; well-reflecting the character’s dismay at moments of peril in the narrative, without becoming overtly theatrical. Russell also enjoys the character’s rare moment of comedy, defeating Ixta with a trick of his thumb. Carole Ann Ford, meanwhile, skilfully underplays Susan’s innocence and powerful instincts, giving the character one of her most likeable, and believable appearances. Ford too, enjoys the rare, light moment of levity, injecting some warmth into Susan, during the quieter moments of Episode One, in particular.

While we have those quieter moments, one can easily appreciate the wider, beautiful, and fairly authentic set design on display, by Barry Newbery. Despite, they’re being only a few sets, each one masterfully, and economically depicts a different aspect of both the Aztec World and the characters they inhabit; whether it be the Combat training room, the Seminary, the Garden of Peace, or the much-talked Temple of Yetaxa. Costume design only builds upon that World. Barbara’s outfit is truly spectacular, and the Aztec costumes are visually striking. The backgrounds are admittedly painted backdrops, but even they don’t distract from so much that is well staged. The soundtrack, by Richard Rodney Bennett, is also very good: subtle, mainly using simple percussion, but is very effective, nonetheless.

John Crockett clearly directs the actors very well, encouraging great performances from virtually everyone; as well as staging them into very dramatic positions. He also makes good use of the set design and costumes in shot, to make the production feel far more ambitious than it is, for the time. Unfortunately, because of the time, Crockett is let down, by the awkwardness of BBC TV Cameras, not built for tracking or movement. You can clearly see them struggling to keep up with the fluidity of John Crockett’s vision for the production.

Ambitious, beautifully realised, and confidently written and performed, The Aztecs, despite the occasional light padding, is undoubtedly one of Doctor Who strongest serials of the 1960s. An absolute classic, in fact. The depiction and writing of this historical period, is convincingly realistic, relatable even, due to the fantastic characterisation of Autloc, Cameca, Ixta and Tlotoxl. Even the smaller characters, sketch detail into the rich culture of the civilisation. Within this fantastic realisation, our four time-travellers are thrown into a great parable, of high drama, action and ethical dilemma, really challenging the concepts behind the programme itself. Furthermore, the regular characters emerge stronger, convincing, and more loveable than ever. Barbara arguably becomes as important as The Doctor, bravely fighting the increasingly impossible odds of survival, against the Aztecs, through a mixture of politics and passionate conviction. The Doctor also holds his own, while showing a more vulnerable, caring and romantic side; that really helps bring the magic into the character, not to mention William Hartnell’s increasingly confident performance. The Aztecs stands the test of time, as one of Doctor Who’s strongest period dramas, let alone one of its best pure historical serials. An atmospheric drama, that’s a pure joy to be immersed in, even with some of the dated production values. If only Doctor Who did this much more often.

Score: 10/10

TV Review 27: The War Machines, written by Ian Stuart Black and Kit Pedler (1966)

Broadcast: 25^th June – 16^th July 1966

Cast:

The Doctor – William Hartnell

Dodo Chaplet – Jackie Lane

Polly Wright – Anneke Wills

Ben Jackson – Michael Craze

Professor Brett – John Harvey

Sir Charles Summer – William Mervyn

Professor Krimpton – John Cater

Major Green – Alan Curtis

Voice of WOTAN/War Machine Operator – Gerald Taylor

Kitty – Sandra Bryant

The Minister – George Cross

Main Production Credits

Producer – Innes Lloyd

Script Editor – Gerry Davis

Writer – Ian Stuart Black, from an idea by Kit Pedler

Director – Michael Ferguson

Designer – Raymond London

Costumes – Daphne Dare and Barbara Lane

Title Music – Ron Grainer, Delia Derbyshire and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Special Sound – Brian Hodgson and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Make Up – Sonia Markham

Production Assistant – Snowy White

Studio Sound – David Hughes

Studio Lighting – George Summers

Film Editor – Eric Mival

Story Summary (SPOILERS!):

Arriving back in contemporary 1960s London, the Doctor and Dodo visit the newly completed Post Office Tower, where a new revolutionary computer system called WOTAN is being developed. WOTAN, unbeknownst to its creators, has a will of its own, and soon decides that civilisation cannot advance further with man running it. To this end, it decides to take control of human society, and hypnotises people around it, to enlist them in its new cause. It creates new soldiers, “War Machines”, to help takeover London.

When the Doctor finds out, he sets out to capture one, helped by new friend Ben, the local authorities and the army. Successful, the Doctor reprogrammed the War Machine, sending it to attack and neutralise WOTAN. Dodo decides to stay in England, but the Doctor is unexpectedly joined by his two new friends, Ben and Polly, who sneak aboard the TARDIS after him.

Story Placement:

Between The Man in the Velvet Mask (Virgin Missing Adventure Book) and The Smugglers (TV serial)

Favourite Lines:

Charles Summer: This, er, might be a little more dangerous than we think.

The Doctor: Ah, Temper, Temper.

Review:

The War Machines is one of those fun and accessible Doctor Who stories, which you can enjoy watching, whatever day you’re having. In fact its’ perfect for those grey miserable days, where you’re unwell or stuck indoors, and just want some delightful diversion to pass the time. Fortunately though, The War Machines has more on offer than merely a good televisual romp.

Firstly there’s the freshness of it, compared to most 1960s Doctor Who, which personally I put down to the story’s deliberate contemporary setting. Surprisingly, the first two episodes of The War Machines are the only time in the TV series that we get to see it attempt a fleshed-out portrayal of London, at the height of its “Swinging Sixties” pop culture and glamour. Sure, on a 1960s BBC budget and mindset, it was never going to look as spectacular as a James Bond movie, or as manic as the Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night, or as realistic as the adult drama of The Wednesday Play, but it’s certainly more convincing than I would have expected, giving off a vibe of The Avengers, with a packed-out, but not artificially hip nightclub, and the cool, irreverent manner, shining from Polly’s character.

Adding to the believability of the London setting, is the drab reality, laid out bare on screen, even as soon as the characters leave the nightclub, as a homeless man searches around for a place to sleep; the area strewn with large gigantic empty warehouses, unspoken relics, of for the time, recent and continuing mass closure of docks and shipping yards, as trade dried up, and workers were made redundant in their thousands. Then of course, that’s subtly juxtaposed with the traditional high society of London’s rich west end, as represented by Sir Charles Summer. In fact, I feel that this is the most real portrayal of London in Doctor Who till at least The Web of Fear, 2 years later, but not properly until Remembrance of the Daleks’ venture through suburban London, filmed in 1988.

Secondly, there’s the novelty of its concept. The War Machines is also surprisingly the first appearance in Doctor Who of artificial intelligence as an antagonist, a villain; and only the second exploration of artificial intelligence in Doctor Who, since the TARDIS in The Edge of Destruction. The depiction of it represented by WOTAN, feels like a reactionary one – a fear of computers being able to think for themselves. However, in 21^st century terms, that feels so mundane, laughable even, since we now understand this to be a basic need so computers can operate under the considerable more complex conditions and tasks they do now. The real concern, written into story’s narrative, is whether computers should have their own consciousness, will or self-control; a wonderful idea to explore, except the script completely avoids exploring it, choosing to favour purely action, and a B-movie style plot. While a computer in charge of the safe development of the Earth, would logically determine Humans as a threat, Ian Stuart Black completely fails to translate this in his script, and turns WOTAN into a stereotypical villain; so it’s cold, literal and machine-like dialogue, mostly falls flat, separated from its original concept.

Another fascinating aspect to WOTAN, is exactly how he controls, or hypnotises his human servants. My personal pet theory is that WOTAN has worked out the form of electrical energy used in the human body to communicate information to the brain. WOTAN would then, using its superior processing power transmit stronger electrical impulses to its victims; impulses that would be bigger, louder and more overwhelming than a human’s own neurotransmitters; hence why it can also work down telephones. In short, WOTAN has invented human Wi-Fi. Sadly, this is all guesswork; it’s a real shame the final script leaves no clues as to the whole idea behind WOTAN, and merely turns it into another “monster of the week”. The complete ambiguity at the heart of WOTAN’s concept, is one of The War Machines’ greatest missed opportunities. Artificial intelligence would go on to be explored in far better and greater detail in later Doctor Who stories, like The Ice Warriors, The Green Death, The Face of Evil and Four to Doomsday; not to mention other Science Fiction of course, notably 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). One particular pertinent example from memory, is the 1996 two-part finale from BBC action series BUGS – The Bureau of Weapons/A Cage for Satan, when the villain Jean Daniel, unleashes an artificial intelligence called Cyberax, which invades and disturbs people’s minds. I digress though.

The War Machines themselves, are also the series’ first robotic monsters, built to replace man. While Sci-fi had dealt with Robots in film and literature decades ago, their first proper use in Doctor Who brings with it, an excitement in their visual direction by incoming director, Michael Ferguson. Furthermore, it feels as a slight precursor to later serial, The Tenth Planet, because The War Machines too, was originally conceived by Kit Pedler.

We take it for granted now, but the use of conveying narrative and scope through fictional TV and Radio news broadcasts, also helps to go some way to selling the sizeable and global threat of WOTAN. At the time of the story’s broadcast, it was still a relatively new technique for TV Drama, memorably used six years earlier in Quatermass and the Pit (1957); although it’s not a new idea per se, as films used images of mocked up newspapers, to tell smaller plot developments simply and clearly, to help the pace of the narrative run at a faster, more accommodating pace. Nevertheless, this was still quite novel for Television, and as a result, helped Doctor Who to come across as modern and more credible.

The third factor that gives The War Machines an edge, is perhaps the most obvious – the new incoming companions, Ben and Polly. Their charismatic, energetic and fun personalities are a huge breath of fresh air, after the gradually staling format of regular characters, which had been going since the show began. In some ways, this was a very good thing, as it seems a while in the series since we had companions this well-defined. Polly is a very brave and down-to-earth young woman, her posh accent disguising an altruistic and giving nature, easily relatable, with a great sense of humour. Ben on the other hand, is an instinctive man of action, decisive and alert, often rather impetuous, but fiercely loyal to the last.

These two companions are particularly striking, because it was the first time in Doctor Who that new companions were unashamedly contemporary. While first companions Ian and Barbara were meant to come from the contemporary time they first joined the series at, they weren’t meant to be in any way representative of the section of society that they fictionally came from, they were recognisable authority figures that the audience could trust. Ben and Polly on the other hand, are clearly crafted to relate to the general masses of their younger audience – two trendy and “hip” youngsters; one a regular at the local club scene, the other a local cockney, on leave from national service. Maybe even more surprising is the fact that, after Ben and Polly, Doctor Who producers avoided having distinctly contemporary companions again, until Ace in 1987, and the most contemporary companion of all, Rose Tyler in 2005.

The arrival of Ben and Polly into the series, also marks the point in the show when companions stopped being the Doctor’s personal friends and equals (albeit alleged in Dodo’s case), and were instead the Doctor’s sidekicks or assistants, more akin to popular ITV 60s action show, The Avengers. While many companions maintained a strong level of friendship with the Doctor, they were never explored as characters in the same level of depth and dimension as Ian, Barbara, Vicki and Steven had been before; and arguably wouldn’t again, until at least Liz Shaw and Jo Grant, during a production renovation of the show in the early 1970s.

Furthermore, The War Machines also sadly marks when the format and definition of Doctor Who itself, was restricted, and arguably dumbed down by new show Producer Innes Lloyd, and Story Editor Gerry Davis. Although both joined the Production of the series officially at an earlier date – Davis at the end of The Massacre, and Lloyd at the start of The Celestial Toymaker; in many ways their early collaborations on making Doctor Who were old story commissions already in place, holdovers from former story editor Donald Tosh, including The Ark, The Celestial Toymaker and The Gunfighters. The Savages meanwhile, was the first Doctor Who storyline by Ian Stuart Black, commissioned by outgoing producer John Wiles, after experienced TV scriptwriter Black actively sought to work on Doctor Who. So The War Machines was the first serial to be produced under the creative direction, Innes Lloyd and Gerry Davis wanted the show to go in.

Before Doctor Who, Innes Lloyd, by all accounts hated science fiction, but came to appreciate the show as an adventure yarn for all the family. Unfortunately, this was also the yardstick, by which he judged the format of Doctor Who. Despite praising the flexibility of the show’s format, Lloyd seemed determined to make Doctor Who pursue purely the space adventure and sci-fi thrillers of alien menace, which had got the show easy popularity in the past. All other genres in Doctor Who were unceremoniously ejected, and deemed unsuccessful, particularly historical-based stories, and the recent comic sendup of Westerns in The Gunfighters. Unfortunately for Lloyd, circumstances led to two further historical serials being made – The Smugglers and The Highlanders, although these were given a unique tonal shift, by story editor Gerry Davis.

Gerry Davis, in contrast, loved science fiction, and upon working on Doctor Who sought inspiration for new story ideas, taken from real life scientific ideas. To that end, Davis found and recruited British medical scientist and parapsychologist, Kit Pedler, as Doctor Who’s unofficial scientific advisor. Pedler would come up with many great concepts, including the idea of the Cybermen, and even the early premise for The War Machines.

I guess the rather longwinded point I’m trying to make is, with Gerry Davis’ passion for creating new science fiction in Doctor Who, combined with Innes Lloyd’s determination to simplify the series’ focus, and throw out it’s less crowd-pleasing, and more experimental genres and elements; Doctor Who became fairly standard sci-fi escapism, with a line in grotesque alien menace. The show was now a distillation of some of the more popular episodes of its former self, and increasingly less remarkable in comparison to the more disposable light Sci-fi thrillers, made under Lew Grade, Gerry Anderson and Brian Clemens; except for a few canny Sci-fi concepts, mostly proposed by Kit Pedler. Out went much of the character drama, ambition, and endless possibilities of its original concept, and in came spectacle, action-filled plots, stock characters, and generally shallower storytelling. However, this didn’t necessarily result in poor Doctor Who. In fact, some of the show’s best, and fondly remembered serials come about during the next two years. Besides, as many people will tell you, Doctor Who can, and often, does sci-fi escapism really well. Despite this though, as the programme hurtles towards what has been affectionately named as “the Monster era” (The Tenth Planet – The Dominators), there’s a definite loss of depth, scope, but most of all, of that magical creative freedom which allows Doctor Who to go anywhere and be almost anything a writer or producer chooses.

Unfortunately, it was a creative freedom that wouldn’t truly return until the explosion of spin-off mediums, when Virgin Publishing and Big Finish Productions took the franchise to many pastures new and experimental places, ironically after the TV series had been first cancelled in 1989. The revived TV series, which began in 2005 has tiptoed awkwardly between the accepted Sci-fi escapism of its former self, and some of the new ideas inspired by spin-off media; but all the while still refusing to be as bold and experimental as its early years. Personally, I have never really bought the argument that Doctor Who as a TV series could never be as varied in genre, and as creatively ambitious as it’s book and audio mediums, given that Verity Lambert, the original producer of Doctor Who attempted the impossible, and often succeeded on a day-to-day basis. Even The Web Planet works to a fair degree, purely due to the sheer effort by most just to get it off the ground. Maybe one day, we’ll be able to witness a 21st Century series that truly lives up to the original concept of the show. I live in hope.

In 1966 though, the original series concept for Doctor Who is all but dead by the time of The War Machines. The ghosts of its former self, namely The Smugglers and The Highlanders, are two anomalies, in many ways made due to Gerry Davis’ affection for romantic period adventure, like those by Robert Louis Stevenson. The only exception at this time was virtually anything written by experienced Doctor Who writer, and former script editor, David Whitaker; but Power of the Daleks in particular. In part this is because Whitaker can’t help himself, but write fascinating character drama, its second nature to him. On the other hand, it’s also because Innes Lloyd, Gerry Davis and Patrick Troughton, worked hard to create a new, complex, and workable character for the new Doctor, beginning in that story. So the importance of that event required special measures. In the end though, most writers did follow Gerry Davis’ template for “strong, simple stories”, with many non-conforming complex scripts being rejected. The new format was here to stay.

As hinted above, the adjusted format, wasn’t the only major change happening within Doctor Who at the time of The War Machines. By this time, the health of lead actor William Hartnell, was deteriorating badly, while suffering from continued arteriosclerosis. Although Hartnell had taken necessary breaks during the production of The Celestial Toymaker, and The Savages; story editor Gerry Davis and producer Innes Lloyd tried to minimise The Doctor’s lines and active presence in the overall narratives of the stories to make it easier for Hartnell to take part in them, and remember the scripts. William Hartnell’s illness would only get worse in the episodes to come, so these script edits proved not only to be shrewd, but essential. However, I think they also unwittingly created an interesting quirk in The Doctor’s character. The War Machines does a good job of making it look like The Doctor waits to make a calculated plan of attack, but he also stands back from the main action of the narrative, and persuades others to drive along the plot for him. To me this also sounds like one of defining traits of Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor – the sly quiet observer, watching, studying and directing the action of those around him, while silently plotting his next move. So unconsciously, what was once an aid to William Hartnell, seems warped to become an actual element of the Second Doctor’s character, helped along by having more proactive companions like Ben, Polly, and later Jamie, who in many ways, all lead the action of the plot for him.

Furthermore, these aids to William Hartnell seem to have worked, his performance clearly rejuvenated, and full of life during The War Machines. He gleefully marches into the Post Office Tower at the start of the story, and displays great comic timing in his eccentric quirks, which Hartnell has perfected for the character of The Doctor. I just love that moment, when William Hartnell mock scolds the captured War Machine in Episode 4. He's clearly enjoying every moment of it, and is very much back on form. Hartnell also makes a cute double act with William Mervyn. While the character, Sir Charles Summer is very much Mervyn’s stock-in-trade, a slightly pompous upper class authority figure (not unlike his famous character portrayal of Inspector Charles Rose); Hartnell and Mervyn play off each other really well, even if Mervyn occasionally seems a little bemused at Hartnell’s eccentricities. Sometimes it even appears that Sir Charles is competing with The Doctor, for the same place in the narrative, even saying very similar dialogue at times.

The two new companions, Anneke Wills and Michael Craze, are by far, the standout performers of The War Machines though. They bring an exciting and infectious enthusiasm to their parts, that in many ways rubs off onto the surrounding cast, particularly William Hartnell. However, there’s an honesty and conviction too, which genuinely sells both the characters and the drama of the story, and frequently act much of the supporting cast off the screen. Sadly, that includes Jackie Lane, who courageously tries her best to salvage, one of the worst written Doctor Who regular characters ever invented. Alas, poor Dodo, was no more though, as Innes Lloyd and Gerry Davis gave up on this failed experiment of a companion, who quite frankly, struggled to work from the time she began, during the final moments of The Massacre. However, with hindsight, Lloyd and Davis did the right thing, as Ben and Polly very quickly prove to be strong future companions, within just a couple of episodes.

New Doctor Who director, Michael Ferguson, also adds an extra edge to the production, giving the stage direction and action sequences, a level of clarity and dynamism rarely seen during the early years of Doctor Who. There’s great use of the on-location footage, both of London, and of the Post Office Tower. The on-location shots of the War Machines in action are especially impressive, with some striking high-angled shots, and some very atmospheric low placed ones. My favourite is when the War Machine is displayed by its reflection in a murky puddle, next to a sorry, overturned bicycle. We would see more of this kind of artistic expression in later years, as more creative directors began to work on Doctor Who, but at this point in time, Douglas Camfield, Christopher Barry, Derek Martinus, and now Michael Ferguson, were fairly peerless amongst a sea of BBC staff directors on Doctor Who, some of whom used the show as training, and others who struggled more with the challenges, limitations and differences between TV and Film production.

After three episodes of realising the threat of WOTAN though, The War Machines seems to fall at the last hurdle, by turning out to be a disposable thriller after all. The long, padded build-up of the construction of the War Machines, is at first, hypnotic and captivating, but gets a bit tedious by episode four, without much change in the plot. The capture of the faulty War Machines is a lovely fun little sequence, but essentially the whole story is wrapped up by a couple of minutes of ‘jiggery pokery’ and wire twiddling by The Doctor, and suddenly a World threat is over in the blink of an eye. It’s a rather deflating conclusion, even if its one that makes sense per the logic of the story.

The War Machines then, stands as both a perfect summary and statement for the new direction and new format Doctor Who will take for the next couple of years. An enigmatic, but ingenious Doctor, with feisty proactive companions, engaging in a fun throwaway adventure, with some thrills and great sci-fi ideas along the way. Many of the new elements to the show, put into play by Producer Innes Lloyd and Story Editor Gerry Davis, will continue to form part of Doctor Who’s storytelling for decades, up to the present day. However, this bold new direction is as much a regression as an evolution, because where character drama and development used to be key to the show’s success, now action and style seem to have taken their place. Even the sci-fi concept of WOTAN is fairly undeveloped, and ends up only ever being a temporary menace. There’s a resolution to this entertaining escapade, but more than ever before, Doctor Who has become more about the thrill of the adventure, than about the deeper definition and meaning of its characters, and their actions. As Season 4 begins, we start to see more and more that The Doctor and his companions have stopped being people who choose to become heroes, and start to become roles fulfilling heroic archetypes. In The War Machines though, everything is new and reinvigorated, including much of the cast; so the effect of this change is quite exhilarating in the short term. It’s neatly packaged and plotted, excitingly directed, and the story of inhuman menace threatening contemporary Britain is a breath of fresh air after what came before, even if, with hindsight, we know that it will be done again far better through the years. There may not be a lot of meaning, complexity or depth to The War Machines, but above everything else, it is good, solid, harmless fun. And some days, that’s all Doctor Who ever needs to be.

Score:    8/10