066: SoraRabbit Watches: Doctor Who Season Four

Welcome back to my never ending quest to watch and review all of Doctor Who! This is the fourth installment of the series. In case you missed any of my previous recaps, you can find them here:

It occurs to me that eventually that list is going to get too big to include. Oh well, I’ll cross that bridge when I burn it. Anyway, Doctor Who Season 4 aired on the BBC from 1966 to 1967 and consisted of 43 episodes over 9 serials. Just like the previous season, this one was hit hard by the purging of the original media and consequentially many of the episodes had to be reconstructed from audio recordings, tele-snaps, production stills, and other means. Only ten episodes are intact in this season.

As is my practice, I will summarize and give my thoughts on every serial, but these will not be full detailed recaps. Still, spoilers follow.

One iteration of the Who Crew. (Credit: BBC TV)

In brief, Doctor Who is a long-running British television program that has been running (with an extended break) since the 60s. It concerns the adventures of a mysterious time travelling alien known only the Doctor and his cast of various companions. One of the quirks of the show is the fact that the main character has been played by 13 (soon to be 14) different actors.

Although I did watch Doctor Who at various times growing up, they were scattered episodes, and not always full serials. This is my first time watching straight through from the beginning. I am doing my best to not read ahead and find out too much about where the series is going, so please bear in mind that I am writing this from the point of view of a newcomer to the series, watching the story and lore unfold as I go. That said, sometimes spoilers are unavoidable and I did learn a few things in my research for the previous posts. As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve been looking forward to Season 4 due to a couple of the things I learned about this season. Both of which will be revealed in the character section.

You can’t beat this Doctor for brooding looks. (Credit: BBC TV)

The First Doctor: The Doctor is a cranky, intelligent old man with mood swings ranging between petulant crabbiness to giddy amusement. Although somewhat self-centered and short with people, he has shown many times that he cares for those he travels with, worrying about their safety and relying on them. The Doctor wears a ring with an unidentified jewel that at times has acted as a key or a tool. In his adventures he’s been through many trying situations that have brought him near death.

Why did I refer to him in the heading as the “First Doctor”? Well, if you’ve been paying attention that should be obvious…

The Second Doctor: Yes, this is the first season that we get to see the Doctor regenerate into a new body! The Second Doctor is a bit less talkative and more direct. He is highly observant, noticing things others miss. While just as intelligent as the First Doctor, he is quirky and mischievous, sometimes coming across as playful. But he’s also sardonic, with a dark sense of humor and a creepy smile and laugh. While the First Doctor was always crafty and shrewd, these personality traits are amplified with this incarnation. He cares deeply about others and shows more moral fortitude than the First Doctor, who was inclined to break the rules for his own purposes. He refers to his previous incarnation as though he’s a different person, but clearly has access to some of his memories. He likes to do accents and wear disguises. He has a real affinity for hats and loves playing music. (Especially while thinking.)

I have to assume the actors practice their horrified expressions. (Credit: BBC TV)

Although the show is named after the Doctor, much of the focus is on his (sometimes rapid) rotation of companions.

Polly: A former secretary from modern day (1960s) London. She's soft spoken and kind-hearted, showing compassion for others. She's much more likely than her friend Ben to accept the more fantastic elements of their journeys. In this season it was revealed that she knows some other languages, but how much is not elaborated on.

Ben Jackson: A former seaman from modern day (1960s) London. He's a bit chatty and outspoken, saying whatever is on his mind. He's very crafty and quick-thinking. He begrudgingly accepts the situation they’ve found themselves in, but still has trouble opening his mind to the experiences.

Jamie McCrimmon: A Scottish piper from 1746, Jamie is unfamiliar with modern technology, but has taken to his fantastic new life quickly. He's brave and a bit superstitious, charming and polite. He has a talent for befriending people, treating everyone as his equal.

Victoria Waterfield: The daughter of a scientist from Victorian-era England. Not much is known about Victoria yet, as she joins the group at the tail end of the season. She was shown in her serial to be big-hearted and soft-spoken.

The Daleks: The Daleks are arguably the Doctor’s greatest foes, but certainly are the most popular. Throughout their history the Daleks have strived to conquer other planets, expanding their empire beyond their home world of Skaro. Due to radiation mutations, the Daleks must live in robotic shells, which are sturdy and can travel over any terrain. The Daleks are equipped with a sort of gun that can kill instantly or stun. They have developed their own method of time travel and an intense hatred for the Doctor, who has thus far foiled their plans four times.

The Cybermen: This is the other reason I was looking forward to this season! We finally get to meet the Doctor’s other recurring nemeses, the technologically advanced race of humans known as Cybermen. These are the people of the planet Mondas who have replaced their human parts with cybernetics. They have organic brains but no emotions. They speak in a stilted, robotic fashion, some of them melodiously. They are super strong, have ray guns, and the ability to stun people with their hands. They do not care for the suffering of organic life, but are perfectly willing to allow such life to become Cybermen like them.

The Doctor at knifepoint. Again. (Credit: BBC TV)

Season 4 began with the first serial "The Smugglers", which ran from Episode 127 to 130. All four episodes were missing and had to be reconstructed. However some short clips do exist, as they were edited out due to censorship and managed to survive. I find that irony amusing, that the parts we weren’t supposed to see are all that’s left.

Picking up where last season left off, Ben and Polly have entered the TARDIS just as it dematerialized. The Doctor is very angry to find them there but calms down enough to explain that they are travelling through time and space with no control over where or when they land. They appear in a cave on the coast in 17th century Cornwall. As Ben and Polly come to terms with the fact that the Doctor was telling the truth, the Doctor seems grateful that he's not alone and has new companions to keep him company.

They talk at a church with an odd nervous man named Longfoot who gives the Doctor code words and asks him to remember them. As soon as they leave a bald man named Cherub attacks Longfoot with a knife relaying the message that Captain Pike says he owes him. They served together on a ship called the Black Albatross. He stabs Longfoot in the back, killing him, then sets off for the inn to find out what the Doctor knows. Cherub and his friends knock out Ben and kidnap the Doctor.

The Squire (the town's Magistrate) arrives and arrests Ben and Polly for Longfoot's murder. Polly makes use of Tom's superstition to convince him the Doctor is a warlock. Tom sets them free. Kewper the innkeeper tries to convince Pike to help them smuggle. Blake is investigating the smuggling and Ben ties him up. There is a passage in the church's crypt that leads to caves on the beach. Polly tries to get help from the Squire and is recaptured. Ben is too. The Squire frees Blake and leaves the two into his custody. Blake sets them free and asks for their help. He suspects the Squire is the leader of the smuggling ring. On the ship the Doctor tricks his guard Jamaica by claiming to read fortunes with playing cards and he and Kewper escape. Because of this, the Captain slits Jamaica's throat. Back with his friends, the Doctor reveals Captain Pike plans to burn the village and find Avery's gold. Blake goes for reinforcements. The Doctor refuses to leave, blaming himself for this mess. Kewper warns the Squire about Pike and they make a plan to find the gold for themselves and lay a trap.

I swear, these guys spend so much time as prisoners. (Credit: BBC TV)

The Doctor and the others get to the church's crypt first and solve the puzzle Longfoot left him. Squire and Kewper arrive and threaten the Doctor but Cherub sneaks up, stabbing Kewper and shooting Squire in the shoulder. (This one really is violent.) Cherub threatens Polly to get info from the Doctor. Pike arrives and battles with Cherub, who he ultimately kills. While this is going on, the Doctor convinces Ben and Polly to get in the secret passage. The Doctor agrees to help Pike find the gold as long as no one else dies. Squire helps, worried about the curse and regretting his own greed. Blake arrives with the militia and they do battle with the pirates. Pike tries to kill the Doctor but Blake shoots him dead. The Doctor and Ben reunite with Polly and escape in the TARDIS. The Doctor is exhausted from all the excitement. They travel and realize the TARDIS has gotten freezing cold. The Doctor declares that they've arrived at the coldest place in the world.

This episode was pretty straightforward and mostly served as a showcase for Ben and Polly and yet another historical story. Ben shows his bravery when others are in danger and works well with Polly. They both show they can think on their feet. I found this one a little boring but it had more violence and death than the show usually had, which was interesting.

High tech 60s robot man. (Credit: BBC TV)

The second serial, "The Tenth Planet" runs from Episode 131 to 134. The first three episodes of this one are intact. Sadly the fourth episode is missing and has been cobbled together with tele-snaps, audio, and animation. This is the serial I was waiting for in this season. It's a monumental one.

They've landed at the South Pole base of the International Space Command in the futuristic time of 1986. An exploratory shuttle has located a previously unknown planet between Mars and Venus. The planet appears to be the Earth, but upside down. The Doctor knows immediately what's going on and explains that millions of years ago there was a twin planet to Earth. The commander doesn't believe the Doctor when he says they're about to get visitors from that planet.

As some of the men try to get into the TARDIS, a pod lands and three robotic men emerge, dispatching the men easily. The robotic men invade the base and kill one of the men. They explain that they are Cybermen from the planet Mondas. Long ago they drifted from Earth on a journey to the edge of the galaxy. Their lifespans were getting shorter so their scientists replaced parts of them until they became mostly robotic. They have human brains but have eliminated emotions, seeing them as weaknesses.

Ben stupidly grabs the dead guard's gun and is separated from the others. But not before a Cyberman shows how strong they are by bending the gun. The shuttle explodes before it can come back to Earth. A Cyberman explains that Mondas is almost out of energy. Their planet has come back to drain the Earth of its energy. (So basically Earth is being turned into a gas station.) They can't stop the process, but they plan to take the humans back with them to turn them into Cybermen too. Ben blinds a Cyberman with a movie projector and steals his weapon, zapping him in self defense and the General knocks out the other Cybermen. They contact their main base and are told the General's son was sent up to investigate the planet. The scanners show hundreds of Cybermen ships approaching.

The Doctor suddenly collapses. No one's sure what's wrong, but Polly says he seems "worn out". The General, in order to prevent more loss of life and to save his son decides to fire off the "Z-Bomb" which is very shocking to all of us. (Especially once he explains what the hell he's talking about.) It's a doomsday device that can split a planet in half. (Damn, 1986 is scary.) The director guy forbids him from using the Z-Bomb but he finds a loophole in the fact that he can use "any means necessary". So logical. The radiation could effect half the Earth, but the General has lost it by this point. All he cares about now is his son and keeping him safe, so he's lost all perspective. Ben realizes what the Doctor was trying to tell them. They have to wait. If Mondas loses power, they'll be safe. But if they fire off the Z-Bomb, no one knows exactly what will happen. Ben is locked up with the unconscious Doctor for being mouthy. (Typical Ben.) Polly convinces the scientist to help and he tells them they can disarm the rocket by squeezing through a tiny ventilation shaft. Ben immediately states that he's small enough to fit and you've gotta admire that self-awareness. (I'm really liking Ben and Polly as companions if you can't tell.)

The best screenshot in this post. (Credit: BBC TV)

More stuff happens, the invading Cybermen are disabled with their own weapon, and the General stops Ben's valiant attempt at disabling the rocket. (He seriously just yeets Ben over the railing. I couldn't get a good screenshot of it. Trust me, I tried.) The sabotage must have worked because the rocket didn't launch. The Doctor emerges from the room, weak. He tells them his "old body is wearing a bit thin". The General threatens the Doctor with a gun. Cybermen invade and kill the General. the Doctor tries to play diplomat with one of them named Krang, (which may be where the Turtle’s villainous brain got his name?) suggesting that once their planet disintegrates, they can live among the humans in peace. Krang refuses, demands the rocket be disarmed, and takes Polly and the Doctor as hostages. The Doctor figures out they've been tricked. The Cybermen want to use the bomb to destroy Earth. Ben deduces they're making the humans do it because they're afraid of radioactivity. They remove the reactor rods and use them to regain the control room. Mondas disintegrates and so do the Cybermen, being reliant on the planet for energy. With the Cybermen defeated, Ben rescues Polly. The Doctor is unmoving in his cell. He awakens and demands they return to the TARDIS at once, saying it's "not over". He leaves for the TARDIS saying, "Stay warm." When Polly and Ben get into the TARDIS the Doctor is lying on the floor. He is bathed in light and when it dies down he has a different face.

So that was our goodbye to the First Doctor. Although I have enjoyed his tenure, I do admit I was ready to move on and meet the next incarnation. As his last serial, the Doctor got to take the center stage here (aside from Episode 3 of course, which he spent unconscious) showing all the traits that made him a likeable character. His smug intelligence, his blustery bravado, his concern for others. I liked that they brought in his previous experiences as the reason for his death... just as I predicted last post. While subtle, it’s clear his adventures took a fatal toll on him. However, the previous serial and half of this one showed no sign of his exhaustion. Well, besides the end of the Smugglers where he complained about being exhausted. The writer in me wanted more foreshadowing. But I suppose it was executed fine. I could tell right away that William Hartnell was not around for Episode 3. They showed the Doctor from the back, his moans did not sound like Hartnell, and he was in bed for the rest of the serial. It was just this sort of sleight of hand the Doctor Who production crew used often to explain away cast member's absences and if I hadn't watched and picked apart so many episodes, I probably wouldn't have noticed.

This serial also served as the introduction to new recurring villains in the series, the Cybermen. The Cybermen are great— cold and calculating, ruthless. I feel like everything was done well on this serial. The pacing, the lack of padding, the interactions with the characters. The General totally lost it and no one could talk reason into him. All the characters, Polly, Ben, the supporting cast, they all had parts to play. Honestly, if I were to choose, this may be my favorite serial of the series so far. This one builds on all that had been established before and sets up the future. This shows great potential for what is to come.

The third serial, “The Power of the Daleks”, runs from Episode 135 to 140. This one is fully missing and reconstructed. This is the first full serial with Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor.

This episode picks up where the last one left off with the Doctor regenerating into a new body. Ben doesn't think he's the Doctor, but Polly believes it, remembering what the Doctor said last serial about his body wearing thin. The Doctor seems to be having some sort of sound feedback or headache. He stands up with some effort and once he recovers he laughs in a creepy way, saying "It's over." (This is a nice parallel to the previous episode where the First Doctor said "It's not over yet!") He makes the TARDIS dematerialize and removes his cloak, dropping the ring he wore all through the first three seasons. It no longer fits. He looks in a mirror and we see the William Hartnell Doctor for a moment before the image is replaced with the Doctor's new form. He's brusque and evasive, referring to the Doctor as a different person, saying things like "The Doctor's quite a collector." All he'll really say about it is that "Life depends on change. And renewal." But he does reveal that it was one of the TARDIS's powers that allowed for this renewal. He hunts around, finding a magnifying glass, a recorder (the instrument, not a tape recorder), and the Doctor's diary which is labelled "500 Year Diary". He also finds a dagger than he identifies as being Saladin's from the Crusades and a piece of metal that seems to make him uncomfortable. When he looks at it he mutters "Extermination." (So clearly it’s a piece of Dalekanium, which actually is a real thing and not something that I made up. No really, I mentioned it in the previous post..)

Daleks are so squishy and gross. (Credit: BBC TV)

The TARDIS lands and he heads out, seemingly without checking the scanner. When Ben calls him on this, the Doctor is able to list off all the readings, showing that he's very observant. He also called Ben by name, which Polly takes as further proof that he's really the Doctor they've travelled with. The Doctor wanders out into the alien land, engrossed in the diary, reading as he walks. He nearly steps in a mercury pool before self-correcting without even looking. He jumps over a rock to test his new body. A man approaches him and is shot by an assassin. The Doctor loots the corpse, finding that the man who was shot was an examiner from Earth. He also realizes that he doesn't need his spectacles anymore.

The assassin knocks the Doctor out, leaving a button in his hand. Polly gets a snootfull of gas and is knocked out. Others arrive and mistake the Doctor for the Earth Examiner. We learn that they're on the planet Vulcan. (In my best Mr. Peanut Butter impression: "What is this, a crossover episode?") The Doctor looks very closely at the men, determining their social standings and reactions. A scientist is studying a space capsule, which he believes could revolutionize space travel. The Doctor identifies it as the same metal he found in the TARDIS. Later he sneaks aboard the capsule with Ben and Polly following closely behind. There are two dead (or immobile) Daleks inside draped in cobwebs. He references the First Doctor again, but proves he does have the Doctor's memories by knowing who the Daleks are. The big shock... among the dead Daleks there is one outside of its casing and we get to see our first clear view of a Dalek. It appears to be a mass of tentacles.

Lesterson, who had snuck aboard the capsule and removed the third Dalek, is experimenting on it, thinking its a robot. The Dalek claims to be a servant but seems to remember the Doctor. (Side note: These Daleks appear to be older models, as they still need static electricity to move around on metal floors.) The people of the colony won't listen to him that they're dangerous, so he attempts to sabotage the Dalek, a plan that quickly fails. The Dalek reactivates the other two Daleks and Lesterton reminds them that he controls their power. The scientists give the Daleks material and they're building more of themselves. Bragen is secretly playing both sides, as the leader of a rebel group (which kidnapped Polly because it wouldn’t be a Doctor Who serial without at least one kidnapping) and is also the controller of the Daleks. He knows the Doctor is not the examiner since he’s actually the one who killed the real examiner and takes the Doctor and Ben prisoner. Lesterson realizes the Doctor was correct and the Daleks are evil when he enters the capsule and finds an assembly line where the Daleks are mass producing more Daleks. Lesterson panics and tries to warn everyone but Bragen and Janley (the evil scientist lady) won't listen. The Doctor uses water in a glass and his recorder to produce the right sound waves to open the lock of the cell to escape.

The Governor visits and Bragen makes his play to take over. He arms a Dalek and orders it to kill the Governor. The good guys rescue Polly but then the three of them are captured again only to escape and reunite with Ben. (Sigh.) The Daleks prepare to exterminate all the humans in the colony. Bragen declares martial law, planning to pin the Governor's murder on the rebels so he can kill them all and have absolute power. Chaos ensues, the Daleks predictably turn on the humans, and lots of people die. Lesterson is completely around the bend, deciding that the Daleks are the next dominant species. Janley is killed and the Doctor finds out where the power supply is. They use Bragen's guards as a diversion so the Doctor can disconnect the power. The control panel explodes, knocking out the Doctor. It overloads the power and causes all the Daleks to be destroyed. Bragen tries one last time to maintain his authority but is shot by the rebels and deposed. The Doctor comes to, acting like he didn't overload the power intentionally. While the colonists are upset about all the damage the overload caused, the Doctor and his companions creep away and leave in the TARDIS. As they leave, one of the Dalek’s eyestalks raises up, watching them go.

So there was our introduction to the Second Doctor. This is one of the Doctors I didn't know much about, so I've really been looking forward to meeting him. This serial showed effectively how much different this incarnation of the Doctor is, while still showing that he's essentially the same character. His self-absorption, his coyness and refusal to reveal much, his sharp mind and concern for others... they're all still very much in evidence. I very much liked the symbolic gesture of shrugging off his cloak and letting his ring drop, showing that this is a new Doctor with different ways of doing things. Also in this serial we finally got to see a clear look at a Dalek outside of its casing. How better to usher in the next era of Doctor Who than with a revealed mystery? (Note that we may have gotten a clear view of one last season, but that episode was a reconstruction and we only had one bleary screencap of that scene.)

As a story, this one was pretty good, building the tension and taking a new approach to the Dalek threat. We all knew the Daleks would betray the humans, just not when. The story dragged in parts, but it really was one of the better serials, made so in no small part by the quirkiness and charm of the new Doctor. This serial did bring up many questions for me, but we’ll review those at the end of the post, as usual.

The Doctor and a Redcoat. (Credit: BBC TV)

The fourth serial, “The Highlanders” ran from Episode 141 to 144. It takes place in Scotland after the Battle of Culloden in 1745. We meet Jamie, a young Highland warrior. Soon after landing, the Doctor and his friends are taken prisoner, because they can't go anywhere without being captured. Sometimes repeatedly.

The Doctor is a master of disguise. (Credit: BBC TV)

They try to help the wounded Laird but the Redcoats arrive. The Doctor uses a silly voice and introduces himself with an assumed name, Doktor Von Wer, (which is German for "Doctor of Who".) One of the Redcoats says "Doctor Who?" and the Doctor responds with "That's what I said." That got a chuckle out me. They almost get hanged but are saved last minute. The Doctor states he's German and so they can't hang him until they notify his country's ambassador. While the men are imprisoned in a pit, Polly and the Laird’s daughter Kirsty have their own adventure, capturing a Lieutenant named Ffinch and stealing his money. The Doctor tricks his way out of the pit and takes on more disguises— a scullery maid and then an English soldier. The prisoners are signed into slavery and the Doctor scrounges weapons for them. The Doctor then lures the English into a trap pretending Jamie is the Prince they're searching for. Jamie kills Trask. As Ben talks to the others about sneaking off to the TARDIS, Jamie eavesdrops. He guides them back and they use Ffinch to arrest the corrupt soldiers. Since the others already left in the boat and the moors are being patrolled, they decide to take Jamie with them. (As long as he teaches the Doctor to play the bagpipes.)

Side note: This is where the series departs for a time from historical stories, as they were not as popular with viewers at the time. I found this one a passable serial, but a bit dull. Of course, that could just be because I'm getting tired of the reconstructions.

YES. Whatever this is, I need more of it. (Credit: BBC TV)

The fifth serial, “The Underwater Menace”, was Episodes 145 to 148. In this one the Doctor and friends discover the lost city of Atlantis and some truly bizarre fish people. The third episode of this serial is the first intact episode with the Second Doctor.

As the serial begins, our new friend Jamie gets a crash course as to what his new life is all about. He, as expected, believes none of it at first. As they're trying to figure out where they've landed, Polly channels her inner Barbara and wanders off into a cave, picks up a bracelet, and promptly gets captured. The rest of them are soon captured as well. The room they're in descends below sea level and they all lose consciousness. When they come to, Polly determines they're in 1970 because the bracelet is from an Olympics that hadn't happened by the time they left. Someone enters the room and Polly (who Ben says "speaks foreign") tries a few languages to no avail.

That outfit is fantastic. (Credit: BBC TV)

They're taken to a room where they eat plankton and then a man comes in to reveal that there was a prophecy that they were coming. The Doctor name drops a Professor Zaroff, who he apparently knows. The man admits that he's there with them and is the reason they have plankton-based food. The Doctor and the Companions are taken to a temple and almost fed to sharks in the name of a god called Amdo. The Doctor sends a note to Zaroff with a servant girl he helped earlier. He signed the note "Dr. W". Zaroff appears and demands the Doctor be released to tell him the secret the note alluded to. The Doctor demands his friends be released also. We learn that 20 years previously Dr. Zaroff was assumed dead. He's also more than a little kooky.

The Doctors hang out, the men are taken the mines, and Polly is with a man called Damon. He explains that the farmers have plastic gills and Polly is going to have the "fish operation". Zaroff reveals they're in the lost city of Atlantis and he's promised to raise the city from the depths. The Doctor sends the servant girl Ara to save Polly. Zaroff's plan is to drain the ocean to raise Atlantis up. The Doctor warns him that draining the ocean into the core of the Earth would convert the water to steam and crack the Earth apart, destroying all life. Zaroff is cool with that, since he's a super villain apparently. Using trickery, he escapes and meets up with Ara. Again he shows off his affinity for disguise, dressing in clothes intended for Polly. He talks to the priest who also wants to stop Zaroff. The end result of this conversation is that now the Doctor is disguised as an Atlantian Priest. The leader betrays the Doctor and brings in Zaroff. The Doctor and the priest are saved at the last minute by the voice of their god Amdo, which is actually Ben talking through a microphone. The religion was a sham.

The plan is to essentially create a union and convince the enslaved fish people to strike, eliminating the source of food. The Doctor wears another disguise, this time as a begger. They kidnap Zaroff, who says it's too late and then has a heart attack. The Doctor and the men sneak into his lab and while they're gone, Zaroff kills the priest and kidnaps Polly. (I guess he was faking the heart attack.) The workers are revolting and Zaroff shoots the leader who tries to stop him from killing all the fish people. The Doctor floods the lower levels and the laboratory, drowning Zaroff. The Doctor tries to go back to save him, but is blocked by a cave-in. The Atlantians survive on the higher levels, resolving to abandon their religion and slavery and build a new Atlantis.

As they launch off in the TARDIS, Jamie says that he's enjoying his new life and Ben makes fun of the Doctor not being able to control the TARDIS. The Doctor says that he could if he wanted to and decides to take them to Mars. As soon as he hits the lever, the TARDIS goes out of control and the serial ends.

I liked this one because it involved a over-the-top super villain rather than a race of malevolent aliens or robots or a corrupt ruling class. The pacing was decent and it was great to finally get an intact episode with the Second Doctor. The Fish People were exceedingly silly, but better than the Space Bees. I love camp and this one delivered camp in spades.

The sixth serial, “The Moonbase”, was Episodes 149 to 152. This story involves the return of the Cybermen. (Yes, already.)The second and fourth episodes of this serial were complete and as always it was a relief to watch non-reconstructed episodes.

The TARDIS has gone out of control. Aiming for Mars, the Doctor instead lands them on the moon. The companions are excited and go out to explore and cavort. It turns out they're in 2070 and humans have put a base on the moon which they use to control the Earth's weather. The scientists are coming down with an unexplained infection that causes them to collapse and dark lines to spread on their faces. Jamie is promptly injured and stays out of the way for two episodes because they hadn't written any lines for him. (I’m actually not kidding. They wrote this script before Jamie was a companion.) The cause of the TARDIS losing control was the Graviton, the device that controls the Earth’s tide. As they communicate with the Earth, they realize that someone on the moon is listening in on their transmissions. The base is quarantined and they can't get help for a month. In the sickbay we see some more of Earth's advancements. Jamie is in a smart-bed that monitors his pulse and breathing and automatically administers medicine as needed. The Doctor suspects that the illness is not natural.

Do you enjoy long, drawn-out explanations of policy and procedures? Then this is the serial for you! (Credit: BBC TV)

Ben is working in the pantry with a guy named Ralph, who is attacked by a lurking Cyberman who electrocutes him. Meanwhile, back in the sickbay, Dr. Evans awakens, rants about "the silver hand" and dies. As Polly is tending to Ben, someone steals the dead doctor's body. When Polly leaves to get water, Jamie awakens long enough to see a Cyberman approaching him. It steals another body and Vicki sees the Cyberman leaving. The head of the scientists, Hobson, doubts her, since the Cybermen were wiped out ages ago. (Yes, nearly a hundred years before. Good continuity that the humans remember that event.) The Doctor is given 24 hours to locate the source and cure for the mysterious illness before they're banished from the moon base. While the Doctor works, the scientists struggle to regain control of a hurricane on Earth, and that's all I'm going to say about that subplot as it's really really boring.

While the Doctor is out collecting hair and clothing samples for his tests, the Cyberman returns and electrocutes Polly and Jamie, stealing another body. Two scientists go out to fix the damaged weather device and are beaten by Cybermen. The Doctor's investigation has come up empty but then after Polly serves them all coffee and another man falls ill, he realizes that it's the sugar. That's why it doesn't effect everyone. (See, drinking coffee black is best.) It's a neurotropic virus, an agent that attacks the nerves. And I have to take a moment to mention that Hobson asks the Doctor if it's like the Space Plague. It delighted me to no end to know that in 2070 there is something called the Space Plague. (If you haven't read my other posts, I have a running joke about adding the word "space" to things to make them more sci fi. It works every time.) Anyway, the Doctor realizes that it's all the Cybermen's doing and then finds that one of the bodies is actually a hiding Cyberman, who pops up and wields a gun at them.

Interestingly enough, the Cybermen recognize the Doctor, even though he's in a new body. The illness was all a plan to get the people ready for conversion. They're making the scientists into drones and their ultimate plan is to use the Gravitron to cause weather disasters and kill everyone on Earth. They're not doing this for revenge, as they remind everyone that they have no feelings. This is their way of eliminating all dangers to their people. The humans and the Doctor very nearly wiped them out before.

The companions are locked in the sickbay and Jamie has recovered. Ben suggests using radiation from the Gravitron and Polly believes they can eat into their artificial heart and lungs since their chest plates appear to be plastic. (Space plastic? Yes. Absolutely.) They mix up a concoction of all the solvents they can find and put it in a spray bottle. (Ben calls this a "Polly Cocktail".) While the Cybermen use their drones to take control of the Gravitron, the Doctor tinkers with the control box and realizes that they're using sonics to control the drones. The Doctor is puzzled as to why they even need the drones. There must be something in the Gravitron they don't like. The radiation? The gravity? The Doctor causes a distraction by freezing the drones and the companions burst in, melting the Cybermen's chest pieces. With those three Cybermen dispatched, the scientists free the drones and work on getting the Gravitron back under control. The rest of the Cybermen on their ship realize the boarding party has been defeated and prepare for invasion. One of the scientists, Benoit, is chased by a Cyberman (their guns don't work in the vacuum of space) and is rescued by Ben, who throws some of the cocktail on the robot. Before they can seal up the base and contact Earth, a whole squadron of Cybermen march on them.

I really do love the Cybermen. (Credit: BBC TV)

The Cybermen remotely take control of one of their drones and he wanders around the base not being noticed and knocking people out. The Cybermen have the drone use the Gravitron to redirect the rescue ship into the sun. Jamie and Ben work to keep the other drones in the medical bay and the Cybermen threaten to destroy the moon base if they don't surrender. They break a hole in the dome and nearly suffocate everyone before it gets patched up. The drone has collapsed and the Doctor swipes the headband they were using to send him signals. More Cybermen ships land and they attempt to fire a laser but it keeps getting deflected by the Gravitron. The Doctor takes command and has them aim the Gravitron's probe at the surface of the moon. The Cybermen and their ships float off the moon and out into space. While the scientists work to get the Earth's weather back under control, the Doctor and his companions sneak off, back to the TARDIS. As they're leaving, Polly points out a streak of light in the sky. They suspect it's the Cybermen, and the Doctor says he hopes that will be the last they see of them. (Yeah, right.) As they leave, the Doctor suggests they have a look at the Time Scanner, which apparently shows the future. On the scanner they see a big lobster-like claw.

This one was fun, if a bit boring in parts. The Cybermen looked different in this one, more robotic with pincer-like hands. This is something that continues throughout the series... on each appearance the Cybermen are different, showing a constant evolution of the race. This is a pretty cool detail. I liked seeing them again so soon and look forward to seeing how they continue to develop as villains. At one point there were 11 of them on screen at once, which really lent to the feeling of them having insurmountable numbers.

The seventh serial, “The Macra Terror”, was Episodes 153 through 156. All of this serial is missing and reconstructed. This serial is notable for featuring the new title sequence which displays the Second Doctor's smiling face and different title font. This is the first time the sequence has changed so far, but certainly won't be the last. In this story we revisit a colony of the Earth in an unspecified time. (Some sources list it as 2366.)

After being startled by the image of a monstrous claw on the Time Scanner, the Who Crew find themselves in a peaceful Earth colony. They accidentally apprehend an escaped prisoner and are welcomed into the colony by the Pilot and given a warm video welcome by the Controller. (Who Polly exclaims is "smashing"!) Everything seems peaceful and pleasant, with food and music and cheerful humans. Jamie is understandably suspicious by how well it’s going. Pilot leaves them in the capable hands of Barney, who explains how the spa area works. Polly gets a haircut and Barney declares she will surely be elected their next "Beauty President" which is either a clumsy pickup line or a bizarre future job that is not ever elaborated on. (Either way, it’s awesome. I want to be Beauty President when I grow up.) Ben and Jamie are massaged (which makes Jamie uncomfortable) and the Doctor is fed into a weird machine that grooms and cleans his clothes. The Doctor then jumps into a "rough and tumble" machine meant to tone muscles and enjoys it greatly despite the loud protests of his companions.

Medok, the prisoner from earlier, is considered delusional and dangerous, but he's just trying to warn them about the dangers of the colony. He rants and raves about creatures coming out at night. As the colony plans a big welcome party for the newcomers, the Doctor sneaks in to set Medok free. He tried to talk to the man about the creatures, but Medok runs away. The colony are annoyed, but understand the Doctor meant no harm. They learn that everyone on the colony, when they're not relaxing, works to tap and refine gas. They're really vague about this, just saying that it's a privilege to work and they use the gas for many things. The Doctor sneaks off and finds Medok, asking him again about the creatures. They're insect-like with claws, and some other people have seen them. Whoever sees them are sent to "Correction". Night falls and they learn that everyone who is not working are confined to quarters when it's dark for their own safety. Barney shows the group to their sleeping cubicles and the Doctor instantly wanders off to explore. The guards are searching for Medok with orders from the Controller to shoot to kill. The Doctor finds him and as they try to escape a giant crab monster with light up eyes looms out at them.

And now we’ve got a Space Crab. (Credit: BBC TV)

Medok is taken back into custody and Pilot tells the Doctor he's going to be sent to Correction. After the Doctor leaves, the Controller orders Pilot to send the Doctor and his friends to Correction so that they can begin to think like the others in the colony. The key to happiness, they believe, is in everyone thinking the same way. The Controller then starts shouting that no one in the colony must believe in Macra. Macra do not exist. There are no Macra! While the companions sleep, they are pumped full of subliminal propaganda telling them how glad they'll be to obey and work. The Doctor figures out what's happening and uses a wire to short out the device in the wall. The Doctor saves Polly in time and Jamie is somehow resistant to the effects, but it's too late for Ben... he's gone native.

Jamie and the Doctor are taken to the hospital, where Medok is proving unable to be Corrected. Polly goes to save them, pursued by a brainwashed Ben. Polly is attacked by the Macra and Ben rescues her, even though his programming says he doesn't believe there's anything dangerous in the colony. The Doctor realizes that Pilot also has a device in his wall. When confronted about the Macra, Ben says that he didn't see anything. Jamie demands they show the Controller and not just the static picture of the (smashing) man. They find he’s actually a scared old man who is being forced to say things. He starts to cry and is threatened by the claws they saw in the Time Scanner. Polly declares that the Macra are in control and Pilot sends them to the Pits to labor and join the Danger Gang. (Which honestly sounds pretty cool and not much like a punishment. I wanna join the Danger Gang for Pit Labor. Or be Beauty President. Either one, really.)

Medok is there too and amongst them they decide the Doctor will stay behind to mess with the machinery. (Although he's a little sad that he doesn't get his own mask.) While the others mine gas, the Doctor studies the machines and works out a formula that he writes on the wall in chalk. Pilot comes in and sees the formula, suspecting the Doctor broke into their secret files. How could he have figured out for himself in moments a formula that took their computers years to calculate? Jamie has escaped deeper into the mines and wanting to join him, Medok leaves Polly behind and is killed by the Macra. The Controller refuses to let anyone go into the old shaft and tells them to pump gas into it. The Doctor realizes that the Macra must live there. Jamie starts to choke on the gas but the Macra seems to thrive in it. The Doctor works out how the pipe system works and manages to shut off the gas just before the Macra get Jamie. They go limp, allowing him to escape. Before long the Doctor and Polly are forced to flee and the gas is pumped into the old shaft again. Jamie pretends to be a cheerleader to evade the guards, but Ben turns him in. This seems to cause him pain as he fights the brainwashing.

The Doctor loves his hats. (Credit: BBC TV)

Polly and the Doctor observe the Macra who is posing as the Controller. The Doctor realizes that the Macra need the gas to survive and likens them to a disease that has infected the colony. Polly comes up with the idea to bring the Pilot there to prove to him the Macra exist. The Doctor goes to see Pilot and tells him to come with him. The Controller desperately tries to get everyone to ignore the strangers and get back to work. The Doctor and friends implore Pilot to listen and even Ben fights the brainwashing enough to help. The Doctor shows Pilot the fake Controller. Pilot is horrified and is determined to destroy all the Macra. Ola, the leader of the guards holds them at gunpoint, thinking they're delusional. They're locked in a room with Jamie and Polly and the Controller starts filling it with gas. Luckily a now clear-thinking Ben was hiding and the Doctor talks him through the controls. They build up the pressure and kill the Macra. We cut to later when everyone is celebrating the colony being saved. I'm assuming all the brainwashing was reversed because no one is trying to kill the Doctor and his friends anymore. They declare a holiday in the stranger's honor and we see the Doctor got a majorette hat to wear. The Doctor wants to stay and celebrate, but Ben tells him they want to make the Doctor into the next Pilot. Not wanting that responsibility, the Doctor and his friends dance their way back to the TARDIS.

This one was a good fascist utopian story. I especially liked the jaunty propaganda music and cheerleaders that encouraged the colony to work hard and obey. Jamie got to play a good role here as the voice of reason and rebellion. Which is especially nice considering he spent half the previous serial either unconscious or ranting deliriously. The monster was delightfully silly. Not much else to say about this one.

The eight serial, “The Faceless Ones” runs from Episode 157 to 162. A longer story this time, and a return to contemporary England. Two important facts about this serial are that it includes a new arrangement of the theme music, and it's the farewell to longtime companions Ben and Polly. Only Parts 1 and 3 are complete, the rest being reconstructions.

Excuse me, I ordered my alien rare. (Credit: BBC TV)

The TARDIS lands in the middle of an airport runway in 1966. Jamie is startled by the "flying beasties", the airport officials are confused by the police box on the runway, and the group scatters to avoid airport security. Polly ducks into a door marked "Chameleon Tours" and witnesses a man being shot with a futuristic-looking ray gun. Polly barely gets away and meets with the Doctor and Jamie, filling them in on what she saw. Back in the hangar we learn the man who was shot is a policeman and he was killed for discovering "the postcards". Rushing towards the danger as usual, the Doctor inspects the body, finding he was electrocuted. This sort of ray gun shouldn't exist on Earth in this time period. On their way out, Polly is snatched and taken by the shady men. The Doctor and Jamie lead the Commandant to the body, but of course it's gone. After they leave the shady men, who are named Captain Blade and Spencer, lead an injured figure across the terminal and to the medical center. We don't get to see his face but he looks to be either badly burned or disfigured. According to the subtitles, he's an alien. The Doctor finds Polly, who claims that's not her name and she's never seen him before in her life.

While Jamie and the Doctor flee from the police, the crispy alien and an unconscious air traffic controller are strapped to tables and a procedure is performed that gives the alien the man's face and memories. Ben joins the others and they find Polly working for Chameleon Tours. She still claims not to know them but lets slip memories of the murder. She meets with Blade who tells her she's failed in her assignment and is to go back to base.

The three split up. The Doctor returns to talk with the Commandant, Ben stakes out Chameleon Tours, and Jamie keeps an eye on Polly. A woman named Samantha is investigating her brother's disappearance after taking a budget flight with Chameleon. Jamie tells Samantha that his friend may be able to help her. The Commandant still won't listen to the Doctor and tries to get him arrested. The Doctor escapes by taking a rubber ball out of his pocket and pretending it's a bomb. Ben's investigation goes much better. The first packing case he opens in the hangar contains a petrified and staring Polly. The Doctor looks for Polly and finds postcards and foreign stamps, as well as the pen device that they use to freeze people. He also sees Ben on a monitor. Ben is trying to warn the Commandant but Spencer fires a weapon at him and freezes him. An Inspector Crossland arrives looking for the murdered policeman. Someone replaces Polly at the Chameleon kiosk and we finally see the importance of the postcards. Before people get on the flights, they fill out prestamped postcards for their families. Samantha instantly realizes that's why she got one from her brother when her investigation showed he never arrived at his destination. It’s all part of the plot. The Doctor hears someone saying they're suffocating and is lured into a trap. He's shut in a room and gassed.

The Doctor nearly freezes but lures Spencer in by covering the camera with his coat and freezes him with the alien device. Jamie and Samantha go to inspect the hangar for clues about her brother. The Doctor and Crossland finally convince the Commandant that something shady is going on and the Doctor reveals the stupefied man he found in the hangar is also in the room with them. The Doctor reveals that Chameleon Tours is a front for the abduction of young people by aliens. He demonstrates by using the device to turn a teacup to ice and provide the postcards as proof. One of the Chameleon men plants a small device on the Doctor. Inspector Crossland questions Captain Blade and sees the plane has futuristic controls, Blade holds him at laser-point. They take him captive and mention him being a good specimen… perhaps good enough for the Director. Meanwhile Jamie and the Doctor are back in the room where he was gassed and they find a hidden control room where they see a monitor showing an operating room. The Doctor starts to piece things together. Once they return to the hangar the device is activated and the Doctor falls over in pain. Jamie finds the device and removes it. After the plane is in the air, Captain Blade turns a dial and all the passengers disappear.

Do you like stuffy and slightly grumpy middle-aged British men? This is the serial for you. (Credit: BBC TV)

Spencer incapacitates Jamie and Samantha and sets a laser beam to move towards them. Then he leaves, like a Bond villain, secure in the belief that his trap will dispose of the heroes. They come to but can't move. Samantha manages to move her hand and the Doctor directs her to get a mirror out of her purse and hand it to Jamie. They use this to deflect the laser and destroys the machine controlling it. They are able to move after that. While all this is happening, Jenkins the immigration officer is replaced by a Chameleon. Samantha decides to get on the next Chameleon flight and Jamie kisses her to steal her ticket, wanting to keep her safe. The Doctor manages to get into the X-Ray room with the help of the Commandant's assistant Jean. The Doctor inspects the transference devices and takes a white armband and a black one. (Those were used earlier to adjust the Chameleon's speech after the transference.) The Commandant has a fighter jet follow the Chameleon flight that Jamie has boarded. Captain Blade uses an alien weapon to force the jet to crash. The Doctor notices the Chameleon flight has stopped moving. On board, Jamie missed out on the passenger's disappearance because he was in the bathroom, airsick. (Or just pretending to be? I’m not sure.) The flight attendant collects small objects from each seat. The Commandant thinks the plane crashed, but the Doctor believes it lifted off into space, which is why it's not on the radar anymore. The plane is shown going into some sort of mother ship.

Jamie watched Anne the stewardess put the objects she was collecting into a drawer. He peeks and sees they’re the miniaturized passengers. A Chameleon and Anne take him prisoner. The Doctor reveals that Meadows is a Chameleon and threatens him to spill the truth. Meadows explains that the aliens lost their identities in an explosion. They arrived at Earth on a satellite that is filled with miniaturized Chameleons. They have abducted 50,000 young people to take their identities. Nurse Pinto hid the originals away somewhere and the process can be reversed. They take the nurse into custody and save Samantha before her identity is stolen. The fake nurse tries to get away and attacks Samantha. But the Doctor messes with the original's arm band and the fake one collapses. The original nurse regains herself. The Inspector questions Jamie about how much the Doctor knows and if anyone believes him. The Director has taken over his body, and claims he's got a mind superior to the Doctor's. The Doctor learns that 25 of the airport staff are under the alien's control. The Doctor's plan is to pretend to be a Chameleon to get on the next flight to save everyone who's been captured. The original Nurse Pinto pretends to still be under their control and explains to Blade that the Doctor is actually Meadows. Blade doesn't believe them, but allows them on the plane anyway. Jamie is also taken over.

The Doctor and Pinto are captured and brought to the Director. The Doctor starts sowing doubt with Spencer and Blade by pointing out that the Director kept his original body on board the satellite and theirs are still back at the airport, vulnerable. The Doctor bluffs that the originals had been found and they're about to be turned back to normal one by one. The Commandant shrewdly backs him up when contacted. They ultimately don't fall for it, but the Doctor sticks a screwdriver into the processing machine, causing an explosion. Back on Earth, Jean and Samantha are searching for the original bodies. They are attacked by Chameleon-Meadows but beat him and find the bodies lying in cars in the parking lot. (Which is a horrible hiding spot.) The machine was fixed and the Doctor is being processed. They deactivate Jenkins and the Chameleon-Jenkins disintegrates, leaving behind only his clothes. The Doctor's mind games get through to Blade who holds the Director at gunpoint and they verify the bodies have been found. If they'd had more time all the life would have been drained, so the process would have been irreversible. The Doctor demands they send all the young people back in the plane to reverse the miniaturization process and give them their identities back. He tells them that in return, they can continue to live in their former states so their scientists can figure out another way to save their people. Captain Blade agrees to this and shoots the Director.

The Doctor promises Blade that as long as they stop abducting people, they will be left to return to their planet, and he will give them some suggestions on how to save their people. With another kiss, Jamie says goodbye to Samatha, who's about to be reuinited with her brother. The Doctor goes to find Ben and Polly. Ben says he's tired of all the weirdness. They realize that they're in July of 1966, exactly when they jumped aboard the TARDIS. Ben says that if the Doctor still needs them, they'll go with him. The Doctor is a little sad but realizes that they both really want to stay. And it is their world. ("You're lucky. I never got back to mine," he says.) Polly tells the Doctor to stay safe and Jamie promises to look after him. After saying goodbye to their friends, the Doctor reveals to Jamie that the TARDIS is missing. They go off to find it as the serial ends.

This one was interesting, but a little all over the place. Lots of padding as is usual for the longer serials. Ben and Polly were strangely absent for large stretches. Samantha was supposed to be a new companion, but the actress didn't want to return. (Honestly I'm glad, she was a little annoying and screechy.) Jamie got his chance to shine in this one without being overshadowed by the other companions. It was nice to see him with a romantic interest of sorts... even a screechy annoying one. The departure of Ben and Polly was abrupt and jarring. At least it was better than what they did to poor Dodo, writing her out of the show off-screen.

Okay, I guess this one is all about mad scientists. (Credit: BBC TV)

The ninth serial is called “The Evil of the Daleks” and spans Episode 163 to 169. We meet a new companion and see our old friends the Daleks for what was originally intended to be the last time. They were still trying to get the Dalek spin-off going, which never ended up happening. The Daleks will be gone for the next few seasons after this serial. Only Episode 2 of this one is complete.

The Doctor and Jamie attempt to track down the missing TARDIS and are sent along a deliberate path by a mysterious antique dealer named Mr. Edward Waterfield and his henchmen Kennedy and Perry. Waterfield seem to know the Doctor and how his mind works. He also has a secret room with high-tech machinery. Perry gets suspicious and snoops around the secret room and comes face to face with a Dalek.

Sneaking around the antique shop, Jamie and the Doctor find a lot of new-looking antiques and come to the same conclusion-- Waterfield must have a time machine and is smuggling things to resell in his time period. Meanwhile Waterfield finds Perry's body and gets upset with the Dalek, telling him no one should have been killed. The Dalek calmly explains that the only life that matters is Dalek life and then vanishes. Waterfield sets a trap and gasses the Doctor and Jamie and takes them to 1866 to meet his partner, Theodore Maxtible. Waterfield's daughter has been captured by the Daleks and the men are being forced to do their bidding. They created a time machine using mirrors, electromagnetism, and static electricity. (Try not to think too hard about that... the writers didn't.) Their tests unleashed the Daleks. A Dalek comes out and demands that the Doctor helps them experiment on Jamie or else they will destroy the TARDIS. They are tired of being defeated by humans and so they want to find what quality humans have that they do not and transplant it into their race, making them unstoppable.

Jamie, taken prisoner, encounters a strange man named Terrall who seems to have split personalities. The Doctor immediately finds Jamie, rendering the whole kidnapping subplot useless. Maxtible has a Turkish man named Kemel do feats of strength so a hidden Dalek can watch and it's really weird. He directs Kemel to kill Jamie, claiming Jamie is dangerous. The Doctor asks the Dalek why they need Jamie. It replies that it's because his travels with the Doctor makes him unique. The Doctor demands to know why him, why not the Doctor himself? The Dalek explains that he has travelled too much through time and it's make him more than human. The Doctor doesn't want to help create a race of Super Daleks, but since they're threatening to destroy the TARDIS, he says he doesn't have a choice. The Dalek demands the Doctor begin the tests on Jamie, but that he must not know what's going on. (Not knowing Jamie eavesdropped earlier.) Jamie gets mad at the Doctor since he seems to be buddying up with a murderer and no one is trying to save Victoria from the Daleks. He storms off, not knowing the Doctor and Waterfield manipulated him, dropping a hint about Victoria being kept in the south wing. With the help of Mollie, the maid that he befriended, Jamie locates Victoria. There's also some padding where Toby, the kidnapper, knocks out Terrall, steals his keys and snoops in the laboratory, getting shot by a Dalek. Jamie goes into the secret passage but ducks just in time to avoid being killed by Maxtible's spike trap. But then he comes face to face with Kemel.

After a lengthy struggle, Jamie saves Kemel from falling out a window. The Turk repays him by rescuing him from a Dalek trap. A Dalek and the Doctor watched all of that, and the Doctor explains that part of the Human Factor they are striving for must be mercy. A Dalek demands that the men dispose of Toby's body, which makes Waterfield feel guilty. He feels they've gone too far by covering up a second murder. (He could let the first one slide, but a second one?) Maxtible sees his friend's resolve faltering and attempts to kill him, but is stopped by Terrall. Jamie befriends Kemel, learning that he's mute and in love with Victoria. As they work to save her, Maxtible begs a Dalek to give him the secret he was promised. His daughter Ruth, suspicious about the changes in Terrall and the absence of Victoria, overhears her father talking with someone and asks what's going on. As an answer he babbles about transmuting metal into gold, so clearly that's the secret for which he's sold his soul to the Daleks. Working together, Kemel and Jamie finagle a Dalek into a fireplace and get to Victoria's door, only to be ambushed by another Dalek.

They're ready for it, though, and manage to knock it down to the floor. They rescue Victoria and barricade themselves in her room. The Doctor is pestering Terrall, having noticed that he never eats or drinks anything. He also observes that the sword Terrall is holding is magnetic, as though Terrall himself were full of electricity. When the Doctor leaves, Terrall tries to drink some wine, but gets the shakes and hears Dalek voices in his mind telling him to obey. Jamie questions Victoria as to how she came to be the Dalek's prisoner, surmising that someone in the house had to have helped. We immediately see Maxtible hypnotizing Mollie, so that answers that question. Maxtible orders Terrall to recapture Victoria. The Doctor is completing his Human Factor solution, using the emotions recorded on the machine that was observing Jamie. He is going to inject the solution into the three dormant Daleks. Waterfield, becoming increasingly agitated, begs the Doctor to not go through with it, as the Daleks could become unstoppable. The Doctor says that he must, to ensure the safety of Jamie and Victoria. Waterfield tries to clock the Doctor with the iron bar Kemel bent earlier, but the Doctor skillfully disarms him. Terrall captures Victoria using a secret passage and Jamie has a lengthy sword fight with him before Terrall again falls over with staticky brain feedback. The Doctor convinces Mollie and Ruth to take Terrall away from the house in order to save his life. The Doctor extracts a small black box from Terrall's collar, stating that was how the Daleks were controlling him. Kemel is forced by a Dalek to take Victoria into the Time Cabinet. Jamie confronts the Doctor saying that they're through. After all this, with the Doctor acting shady and lying, Jamie has lost all trust in him. He believes the Doctor is just out for himself, but the Doctor insists that he cares about human life and did not do any of this lightly. As they discuss this, the three Daleks that were part of the experiment approach. Maxtible explains that Jamie's emotions were recorded on small positronic brains that have been implanted into these three Daleks. Jamie is concerned, but the Doctor says not to worry, even when one picks him up and carries him across the room. The Doctor laughs, realizing that they're playing a game with him.

The Daleks cart the Doctor around the room, mimicking his words. The Doctor, clearly delighted in this whole thing, says that they're currently at the mental state of children but will grow quickly. They still speak with the loud robotic voices of the Daleks, but with more emotion behind their words. The Doctor draws Greek symbols on their casing in marker and names them Alpha, Beta, and Omega. They leave, stating that all Daleks were called back to Skaro. When Maxtible lies to Waterfield about Victoria's whereabouts, tensions between the two men come to a head. As Waterfield grapples with the older man, Maxtible hits him over the head with a test tube. There is a machine attached to the floor and the Dalek reveals that it's a bomb. Maxtible is horrified that his house is going to be destroyed. Unable to stop the bomb, Maxtible follows the Daleks into the Time Cabinet. Waterfield comes to and shows the Doctor and Jamie the bomb. They can't defuse it and the Cabinet is locked. Waterfield shows them another time machine and they set off for Skaro to save the prisoners. The house explodes.

On Skaro, Victoria and Kemel are in a cell. Victoria promises to protect him, a promise that amuses them both, since Kemel is basically a superhero. The Daleks are pissed at Maxtible for not bringing the Doctor. The Doctor, Jamie, and Waterfield infiltrate the Dalek city on Skaro, setting off the Dalek's human alarm. (Which I’m assuming they installed after the first time the Doctor infiltrated their city.) The human Daleks consider the Doctor a friend and the other Daleks are confused by the fact that they have names. The Daleks force Maxtible and Victoria to scream and the others hear this, baited into rescuing them. Omega comes to see the Doctor, stating that they are friends. The Doctor is instantly suspicious and checks his marking. The Dalek speaks emotionlessly, so is obviously a regular Dalek posing as Omega. The Doctor shoves him off a cliff. The trio are led to a control room where they finally meet the Dalek Emperor, a larger Dalek hooked up to computers by umbilical cables. The Doctor explains that the three Daleks with the Human Factor will infect the rest of the race, causing the other Daleks to question things and sparking a rebellion. The Dalek Emperor disagrees, stating that the introduction of the Human Factor showed them the Dalek Factor, so now they truly know their own strengths. The Human Daleks will be implanted with the Dalek Factor which will cure them, and the Doctor will spread it through the history of Earth. The Emperor reveals that they have the TARDIS so he has to comply.

In the cell, the Doctor plays his recorder as he thinks about what to do. He can't sacrifice the Earth for the prisoners, and doubts the Daleks would keep their word and set them free anyway. He mentions his home world to Victoria, stating that he's been gone from it for some time and could possibly take them there. The Daleks give Maxtible the secret of transmutation, but the machine infects him with the Dalek Factor, making him robotic and compliant. Meanwhile, one of the Human Daleks, as the Doctor predicted, heard an order and asked "why?" which sets the Emperor Dalek into a rage. Dalek Maxtible hypnotizes the Doctor and orders him to walk into the machine where he, too, is infected with the Dalek Factor. But the Doctor is faking it and when Maxtible isn't looking he messes with the machine. (It didn't effect him because he's not from Earth.) He tells Jamie to lead the Waterfields and Kemel through the archway at his signal, but Jamie isn't sure he can trust him. The Doctor goes to the Emperor and suggests all Daleks must pass through the archway so that they will ensure the Human Daleks are made into normal Daleks again. As you may have guessed, the Doctor earlier replaced the Dalek Factor in the machine with the Human Factor. The prisoners run through the archway, but Waterfield stays behind, asking Jamie to take care of his daughter. The Human Daleks start questioning the Black Daleks (who weren't turned) and there are casualties on both sides. The Doctor spurs them on, encouraging them to question their orders and to confront the Emperor. The Human Daleks rebel against the Emperor and Waterfield takes a laser blast to save the Doctor. The Doctor promises Victoria will be looked after. There ensues a chaotic laser fight. Maxtible throws Kemel off a cliff and runs into the exploding Dalek city, declaring that the Daleks must survive. The Doctor, escaping from the destruction, meets up with Jamie and Victoria. He reveals that her father has died and that he helped bring about the final end of the Daleks. Jamie says they can't leave Victoria on Skaro and the Doctor says she's coming with them. He's certain the Daleks are destroyed, but we get a view of the Emperor and a light is still flashing on him, hinting that he has survived.

This one was pretty cool. I always enjoy the Dalek stories. The time travel explanation was clumsy and nonsensical. Victoria's role in this serial was small, so I don't have a sense as to how she'll be as a companion yet, but I look forward to seeing how she does. Again, Jamie really got the chance to take center stage here. His character is being developed more all the time. What I found most interesting about this one was the difference in how this Doctor handled the Daleks as opposed to his predecessor. The First Doctor used stealth and open rebellion. The Second Doctor was more sly and subtle about his machinations. The most disappointing thing about this serial is the fact that most of it was missing. They didn't seem to have telesnaps of most of the action sequences or any of the three modified Daleks. There were a lot more computer animation in the reconstruction, but it felt less complete than many of the other reconstructions.

The Second Doctor always looks so impish. (Credit: BBC TV)

And that was Season 4! Before I get into my thoughts, here’s what we learned this season:

TARDIS facts: The biggest thing we learned about the TARDIS this season is that it is the key to the power of regeneration. How exactly this works is not explained, but the Doctor states "It's part of the TARDIS. Without it I couldn't survive." (I think this gets retconned later, but I included it here as this is how it’s explained in this season.) It's possible there is some machinery that controls the regeneration, or it's related to time travel somehow. The TARDIS is equipped with a Time Scanner, which can show the future of the timeline. This is a little used feature, as the Doctor states it's unreliable. (Probably due to the fluid nature of time and causality.)

Doctor facts: First off, I feel I should mention that although the Doctor has regenerated in a new body with a new personality, he is still the same character, and so everything we have already learned about him still applies. That said, we learned quite a bit about the Doctor this season. The biggest fact is that the Doctor-- and presumably his whole race-- can regenerate into new bodies when they're critically injured. The Doctor appeared aware of this by his rush to get back to the TARDIS, but it's so far unknown if this process has ever happened to him before. An interesting fact we learned is that he's a collector. Without us realizing he's been collecting souvenirs from his travels, such as Saladin's dagger from the Crusades and a piece of a Dalek's casing. (We also saw him swipe a mind-control device from the Cybermen and since it never came back later, I’m assuming it was just for his collection.) He also apparently has kept a diary of his travels, called the 500 Year Diary. (Likely it was kept in the event of regeneration to remind him of his previous adventures.) In his new body, the Doctor is a bit more agile and no longer needs his spectacles. He's also smaller than his first form, unable to wear his ring and cloak. He is extremely observant, noticing things and cataloging them in his mind for later. The Doctor shows some aptitude for geology and pottery and at one point he uses these skills to determine where they've landed. He can speak some German. The Doctor really likes eating plankton. This Doctor was seen drinking wine, whereas the First Doctor claimed he never drank alcohol.

The Doctor's past: We didn’t get to learn much this season, sadly. Although this is pure speculation, the fact that the Doctor’s diary was titled “500 Year Diary” may indicate that the Doctor is at least 500 years old. The Doctor got a medical degree in 1888 in Glascow studying under Joseph Lister. (Yes, he’s actually been a Doctor all along. Unless he was joking.) For whatever reason the Doctor left his home world, it does appear he could return, as he suggested to Victoria that he could take them all there to escape the Daleks. Maybe his people are willing to give sanctuary to those in danger? Hard to say. It’s been four years and we haven’t yet gotten much to go on about the Doctor’s world and race.

Defining moments to show the Doctor's personality: Since we're getting acquainted with a whole new Doctor, there were quite a few little moments here and there. I think one of the most significant is when his ring fell from his finger. This shows not only that he’s a different being, but that he has different values. The First Doctor prized that ring and treated it as a useful tool. This Doctor doesn’t feel it’s worth bringing with him, instead choosing a magnifying glass and a recorder. There was a moment where he showed a lack of impulse control, almost playing his recorder while hiding from the Daleks. Several times he displayed his sharp attention to detail, noticing small things that gave him insight into people and situations. For example: upon meeting the colonists on Vulcan, he sized them up in an instant, determining who was in charge and what their relationships were. The fact that he didn’t announce the readings on the scanner before wandering out but was still fully aware of them shows that he’s observant but doesn’t waste time showing it unless needed. The First Doctor would often see conflict and decide the best course of action would be to get in the TARDIS and leave… of course when things were especially bad he would stick around and solve the problems. But the Second Doctor has a stronger sense of responsibility, taking the stance that they should solve whatever problem is before them before turning tail and leaving.

This Doctor has started to show a manipulative side in how he dealt with the Dalek threat. He manipulated Jamie into rescuing Victoria, guilt-tripped Waterfield for his part in the plot, which ultimately drove him to sacrifice himself, and tricked everyone briefly by pretending to be converted with the Dalek Factor. It remains to be seen how far he would take these manipulations, but it is certainly central to his character. It’s hard to say whether it’s an aspect of the First Doctor shining through, or a core personality trait regardless of his form.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this season, although it did take me awhile to get through it. The departure from historical serials gave the show more chance to explore what it excels at-- fantastical science fiction adventures. The introduction of the new Doctor and his caginess injected the series with new mysteries and energy where it had been flagging. We got to learn about a whole new main character that was still rooted in the original incarnation but undeniably distinct and fresh. The concept of regeneration is original and clearly the reason for the series to have lasted so long. This way if the lead wants to move on or the series gets stale, they have a built-in reboot button while still keeping the continuity and overall narrative unbroken. It’s truly inspired.

Another positive aspect of this season is that they kept mostly to the same companions throughout. Sure, Polly and Ben ended up departing before the end of the season, but they stuck with it for most of the episodes. The only new companions we met were Jamie, who fit right in with his predecessors and Victoria, who hasn’t been able to do anything just yet. Season 3’s rapid rotation of the main cast was getting tiresome, so I'm very grateful that they slowed it down. More positives include the return of the Daleks and the introduction of the Cybermen as recurring antagonists. The producers had been trying to find villains of the same caliber of the Daleks for years and I feel like they finally hit the mark.

All that said, it wasn't all great. Some of the serials suffered from pacing issues, although that was improved by the fact that most of the serials this season were set at four episodes. Even so, some of them would have benefited by being cut down to three episodes. (There would have been less kidnappings and imprisonments that way.) The fact that most of this season is lost didn't help me get through it either. I found myself having to psych myself up for my viewings at time... as grateful as I am that the reconstructions exist, I'm really looking forward to being on the other end of them.

The biggest draw to this season for me was the Second Doctor. Although I will always love William Hartnell’s First Doctor, Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor is a very entertaining and engaging character that I look forward to seeing more of when I get to Season 5.

Some interesting facts: This is the first time that the entire main cast changes from the beginning of the season to the end. The character of Victoria Waterfield makes a return in a 1995 direct-to-video movie called Downtime, which continues the plot of two Season 5 serials and features several Doctor Who characters. (I may have to look for that and add it as a side note in one of these posts. Or I could do a post all about spin-offs… hmm…) Jamie holds the record of starring in more episodes than any other companion at 112 episodes. (Luckily he’s a likable character.)

I need to start carrying around a magnifying glass. You always look smart with a magnifying glass. (Credit: BBC TV)

Lingering Questions: My biggest questions relate to the process of regeneration. (Note that I'm calling it that, but it was referred to in this season as a "renewal". It's not until later seasons that it will be dubbed regeneration.) In this season we finally saw the Doctor's ability to regenerate into new bodies and personalities. This opens up a slew of questions as to how exactly this works. Why does he act differently? Why is he fully grown in an adult body? Just how much of the Doctor's memories are retained? He refers to his previous incarnation as a different person and needs his 500 Year Diary to remember aspects of his previous adventures. But he seems to use it as a reference for memories he can't fully access. How did the Daleks recognize the Doctor in a new body? Can they read brainwaves or scan his physiology? There must be something uniquely him even after his regeneration that makes him recognizable. It would be interesting to learn more about how all this works. Do all the people of his race have this power? Does Susan have the ability to regenerate too? What about the Meddling Monk? And most importantly to me-- was the First Doctor really the first Doctor? Was that the body he was born with or a regenerated body? I have so many questions. Will any of them ever be answered? (Well, this is Doctor Who, so I'm gonna say no.)

Among the non-regeneration questions: How did the Cybermen survive the destruction of Mondas? (I'm assuming some of them were off world and they just bred or built more.) In The Power of the Daleks we learned that the Dalek ship has a small factory within it to produce new Daleks. Does that mean they had more squishy squid creatures on board the ship, or are some Daleks fully robotic?

And that’s a wrap on the latest installment in my Doctor Who coverage. We are now 169 episodes into the series! We have covered a lot of ground but still have a long road ahead of us. Thank you for reading, I appreciate you all, and I hope to see you back for Season 5!