THE FIRST DOCTOR ERA
Those glorious old days of William Hartnell at the helm of the TARDIS. So much experimentation going on as the show is trying to find its feet. Occasionally, during all that mucking about, a villain would get created that "sticks". They would be brought back again. Sometimes only once . Sometimes, still only once, but fifty or so years later. And sometimes - just sometimes - they became a vital part of the show's lore.
The First Doctor Era has a decent number of characters like this. Which makes sense, of course. A period of this nature is bound to be full of recurring foes appearing for the first time. The show is in the process of introducing itself to its audience. Which makes it highly likely that we're going to meet a bunch of very influential bad guys for the first time during this time.
THE DALEKS
Recurring Foe: The Daleks (well, duh!)
After just one story, we encounter our first recurring foe. And it's a doozy!
Writing: ........................................ 9
The Daleks we get in this story are certainly different from the Daleks we will eventually get down the road. During this particular tale, it does almost seem like there's a certain sense of individualism to them (by Dalek standards, at least). Which is ever-so-slightly off-putting. In future stories, these menaces will seem more homogenous. Unless they have some sort of authority, they lack any sort of real identity of their own. We don't get much of that with this first batch of Daleks, though. The drone-like quality of a Dalek is an important trait. Because of its absence, it loses a point in the rating system.
Aside from this one difference, however, everything else that we need to have in the Daleks is there right from the very start. The paranoia, the need to dominate, the xenophobia. Everything that continues to persist in the character over the next six decades is firmly on display. Which is exactly what was needed to capture our imaginations and get us to fall in love with what is, essentially, salt shakers with plungers and egg whisks stuck to them!
Performance: ........................................ 10
A certain style of performance for Daleks gets introduced, here. One that we will only see now and again in future stories. In most Dalek tales, efforts are made to make them glide smoothly and seem almost elegant in their movements. Here, they are more jittery. The eyestalk and limbs that extend from them tend to wave about much more. It makes them seem just a bit neurotic. Which I think really works for the characters. It creates a great visual that belies an interesting concept: Deep down inside of that casing, the Kaled Mutant is genuinely scared.
Again, there will be a few other stories down the road where this type of movement will be brought back. Death to the Daleks is another tale that gives us Daleks that seem like, maybe, they need to cut down on their caffeine a bit. Even New Who stories like Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks will portray the Skarosian Mutants in a much similar manner. Personally, I love seeing them like this. The smoother-moving ones work great too. But I'm just as happy with this version.
The Actual Story: .............................. 8
Those first four episodes are actually quite mind-blowing. This really is amazing stuff that we're seeing. Episodes Five to Seven, however, really do start to peter out. To the point where the final climactic battle in the Control Center feels fairly lack-luster. By choosing to do such a long story, Nation appears to have bitten a bit more than he can chew. Which, to me, almost kills the Daleks' chances for a return. I just don't find myself caring that much about anything as we get to the end. I just want the story to finish!
But I can't deny how good those first four episodes are. Even as we move into the latter parts, the quality does persist quite a bit before it truly dies out.
Which is why I'm still scoring it so high.
How the Doctor Interacts With Them: ..... 8
This is another situation that we will never see again. In future Dalek tales, the Doctor is always full of bluster when he deals with them. Even in the very next adventure that features the ruthless cyborgs, the Doctor places those hands firmly on his lapels the first time he meets the Daleks in Part Two and tells them exactly where to go.
In The Daleks, however, he's acting more like the audience. He's genuinely fearful of them. It's especially brutal to see him trying to use the TARDIS as a bargaining chip near the end of the adventure.
But it all still works very well. Yes, it's a bit strange to see. Which is why I knock a few points off. But this is the Doctor's first time encountering them. So this very unique behavior does make a sort of sense and helps to create menace in what is, essentially, a bunch of salt shakers with plungers and egg whisks sticking out of them (where have I seen this before?!).
Long-Term Impact: .............................. 10
I think it would be impossible to give this anything less than a perfect score. The Daleks does represent a very humble beginning for these monsters. They will go on to do much greater things than what we see here. But, overall, the story does a great job with getting the ball rolling. One cannot deny the impact this adventure will have on the whole future of the series.
FINAL SCORE: 45
A hugely-significant story that is fraught with problems. But it still excels and very much deserves the respect it has earned.
THE TIME MEDDLER
Recurring Foe: The Monk
Here we see an excellent example of just how much breadth the show likes to have. The second recurring foe that we meet is an anti-thesis of the Daleks. While we were meant to the Daleks very seriously, the Monk is mainly there for laughs. Even though the contrast is vast, I still deeply adore him.
Writing: ........................................ 9
It's as plain as day that the Monk has been written to be a bumbler. There's a ton of comedic sequences built right into the plot that we watch him stumble through like a fool. To the point where it's almost difficult to perceive him as a legitimate villain (which is the reason why he doesn't get a Perfect Ten). He is still an absolutely delightful character but he, perhaps, needed just a bit more of a darker side to give him a tad more potency.
Performance: ................................... 10
Peter Butterworth plays the role to absolute perfection. He sees what the Monk is meant to be on paper and adds some gorgeous nuances to him. Charm is the most important trait that he imbues his character with that wasn't, necessarily, on the page. In the wrong pair of hands, the Monk could have just been an annoying fool. But Butterworth gives him a healthy dose of likeability. This is a crucial element that triggers his return. We're actually quite happy to see the Monk come back a season later because we really do enjoy him. Or, more accurately, we love how the role is played.
The Actual Story: ............................... 8
I do hear this fairly common complaint about Time Meddler. Apparently, it moves a bit too slow. To which I regularly respond: "What episode of 60s Doctor Who doesn't?!" Maybe the story drags even more than others but I don't really feel it. Especially since there is a lot of fun little comedy going on.
There's also a few things that make Time Meddler quite special. It's our first "pseudo-historical" and it expands quite heavily on the show's mythos. The Doctor isn't the only individual out there travelling in a TARDIS. There are others like him. Which is infinitely fascinating...
So, yes, it does drag a bit, in places. But I'd still say it's an above-average yarn.
How the Doctor Interacts with Them: ...... 9
Now this is more like it. The Doctor cowers in his first tale with the Daleks. But, here, he's much more in keeping with how we usually see him when dealing with an enemy. He's not afraid to get up in the Monk's face and berate him for his plans to pervert history. There's also a fair amount of chest-beating as they compare TARDISes. In Time Meddler, the basic template is set for how rival Time Lords will interact with each other.
But there are some dynamics that are unique to the way the Doctor and the Monk interact with each other. The Doctor gets far more emotionally-involved in their game of wits than he does with most other renegade Time Lords that he faces. Look how delighted he is as he sabotages the Monk's TARDIS at the end of Part Four. Or sulky and bad-tempered he gets when the Monk locks him up. When these two battle, it's very much like a game rather than a true fight. Which tends to make the Doctor more child-like. It's great fun to watch.
Long-Term Impact: ........................ 8
Only one other appearance from the Monk?!! That's it??!!
In my opinion, we should have seen way more from this guy. Particularly since he is a much lighter character than most recurring foes. While Daleks and Cybermen and the Master create fiendish plots with high stakes and big consequences, the Monk represents a breath of fresh hair. He's a big goof who can actually be dangerous if left unchecked. He does legitimately represent some degree of threat. But, for the most part, he's just a great laugh.
Which does limit him in some ways. Because of his triviality, a character like this can only be used so often. Otherwise, he stops being such a treat when he does appear. But only being featured in a measly two stories from the 60s and then never being seen again is a veritable crime. Regenerate the dorky little bumbler and bring him back!
FINAL SCORE: 44
Being such a huge contrast to the seriousness of the Daleks makes him a recurring foe that is only one point away from being as appealing as the Great Skarosian Mutants, themselves.
THE CELESTIAL TOYMAKER
Recurring Foe: The Toymaker (who's not Celestial, anymore)
One of those villains that we don't see return for several decades. Although plans were made to bring him back after only twenty years instead of over fifty!
Writing: ......................................... 9
A well-constructed villain who, at the time, would have a very new and interesting vibe. Basically, he really feels like the Master. He has a profound hatred of the Doctor that he doesn't conceal in the slightest. He also seems to relish being evil. And, while he wishes nothing but ill for the Time Lord, he loves the games they play against each other. We would, eventually, see this dynamic over and over again in years to come. But we are witnessing for the first time, here. And it's done gorgeously.
Performance: ...................................... 10
Like Butterworth with the Monk, we get some top-notch acting from Michael Gough. It's one thing to create a sort of Traditional Melodrama Villain on paper, it's another thing to bring him to life. The performance has to be pitched just right. You need to chew the scenery a bit but not go too far with it. Gough hits all the right notes with his performance. It's an absolute treat to watch. Or, at least it is in the one episode that's still left!
The Actual Story: ................................. 8
As has just been mentioned, there is only one part of this story that still exists. It is a bit difficult to work off of the various re-constructions, but it is still possible to get a fairly general gist of the story from them. Celestial Toymaker is delightfully surreal with some very dark undertones masked in child-like imagery. It's only significant flaw might be that watching Steven and Dodo have to play through so many goofy games does seem to drag a bit. Still, it's something very cool and unique. We would get other strange stories like this in the future. But seeing it for the first time, here, makes the tale all-the-more special.
How the Doctor Interacts with Them: ..... 10
Hartnell and Gough are great, here. They spark off each other brilliantly in a vicious game of wits. Again, this feels very similar to what we would get with the Master in a few years' time. This sort of chemistry between the Doctor and a rival is always a splendid experience. Both actors have to be at the top of their game for it to work properly. And we definitely get that, here.
Long-Term Impact: .................................... 10
While it took forever to finally see him truly come back, it's obvious this is a foe we've wanted to see more of. We would have actually gotten more of Gough had the original plans for Season Twenty-Three succeeded. But, in some ways, it's a bit good that it all fell through. The implication, now, is that the Toymaker changes his form each time he's defeated. Which means more fantastic actors can take on the role. Lets hope they don't take so long to bring him back for a third battle. He's a great villain.
FINAL SCORE: 47
Woah! The Toymaker beat the Daleks! He deserved it. He makes an excellent first impression...
THE TENTH PLANET
Recurring Foe: The Cybermen
Just before bowing out, the First Doctor gives us one more massive returning enemy.
Writing: ........................................ 9
In many ways, it felt like much more thought went into the crafting of this monster. Which makes sense. Production could feel that their grip on the Daleks was becoming tenuous and wanted something to replace them. The success of the Daleks had been a happy accident. This time, they were intentionally going for a new and exciting monster that would haunt the Doctor again and again.
Fortunately, they get things right. Oftentimes, when you do this sort of thing on purpose, it fails miserably. You can't get lightning to strike in the same place twice. But Kit Pedlar manages to do that. And we get another great race of monsters that the Doctor will battle over and over throughout the years.
Performance: .................................... 9
The artistes in the Cybermen outfits have an absolute party creating their characters. Like the writing, you can see a lot of thought was put into all of this. Particularly the way they made the decision not to properly lip-synch their dialogue. Instead, we get something that comes across as very weird and creepy.
The potency of their performance is best affirmed by the fact that the show will re-create the Mondasian Cybermen several decades later. They stick pretty close to the original costume design. Which, at best, makes a performer very stiff and clumsy. But the sinister quality of that initial performance shines through and inspires a whole new generation to hide behind the sofa from it.
The Actual Story .................................... 8
The plot to Tenth Planet is a bit weak, in places. There's not quite enough of it to fill the four parts. We get something akin to captures-and-escapes to mark time. We would see this time-killing trick in other base-under-siege adventures. Instead of capturing-and-escaping, it's more akin to "the monsters break in for a bit, get kicked out, then break back in some more later." Most of the story is still quite good, though. And the Doctor's regeneration at the end does nothing to overshadow the presence of the Cybermen. They still make a tremendous impact. Really, it's two major developments for the show's lore in just one adventure. Which helps to boost its score a bit.
How the Doctor Interacts with Them: ..... 8
"Emotions. Love, pride, hate, fear. Have you no emotions, sir?" The Doctor's confrontations with the Mondasian Menaces are full of rich dialogue like this. How can we not love how he deals with them? Although, it does feel a bit like his first encounter with Daleks. He's not that pissy with them, yet. Tell-offs like the one we got in Dalek Invasion of Earth will come later. It does almost feel like the Doctor's trying to understand this new enemy properly before really laying into them. But much of it is still great stuff to watch.
Long-Term Impact: .......................... 10
This would be another monster that deserves a perfect score in this category. That excellent first appearance creates a tremendous legacy of adventures that will never end. For as long as we have Doctor Who, we'll have Cybermen. And I'm thankful for that. Whether they're the coldly logical versions we get in the 60s and 2000s or the more sadistic models of the 70s and 80s, I adore them all.
FINAL SCORE: 44
Another great recurring foe. The First Doctor Era is chocked full of them. It was a great time for villains and monsters that would make return appearances. They were all handled magnificently.
The Second Doctor Era also has quite a few recurring foes to contend with. That will make for another sizeable entry. So he'll get a post of his own, too.
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