jason stives and michael dworkis debut their monthly look at each Doctor, leading up to the premiere of Series 7 …
Nov. 23 marks the 48th anniversary of Doctor Who, one of the most celebrated science-fiction shows in television history — and one that Pop-Break has embraced as being a favorite of many of our readers. In honor of the show’s anniversary and to bridge the long gap until Series 7, Pop-Break presents the first installment of the Doctor Of The Month column, profiling each incarnation of the Doctor and serving as a formal introduction to readers who may love the new series and are interested in revisiting the classic series that made the show so famous. We begin with the original Timelord, The First Doctor, William Hartnell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKg9tuSbXmk
PROFILE
The first Doctor (1/8/1908-4/23/1975) was played by William Hartnell. From 1963 to 1966, Hartnell switched from the tough-guy roles he originally played in TV and film for a mysterious, yet-brilliant character intended to be the star of a children’s television series.
The first Doctor was a charismatic man and a voice that channeled mystery. His appearance suggested he was a frail old man. However, he would turn out to be a strong-willed man with a penchant for having a mean streak when the situation called for it. He also came across as foolish on occasion, likely catering to the younger audience by forgetting names or shooing he companions away like street urchins. However, as the series progressed, the old-but-really-youthful Doctor did not hide his emotions when parting ways with loved ones and the companions who became family. This persona fit more for children to become attached to.
The Daleks and the Cybermen are introduced during the era of the first Doctor, and have been part of the Who legacy ever since. It would be during an encounter with the Cybermen where the first Doctor met defeat, and viewers would glimpse the first cycle of regeneration into the second Doctor.
SIGNIFICANCE
While not as well touted as his successors, the First Doctor stressed the importance of the Doctor being genuinely alien but is remembered more being a cantankerous old man. Always short of fuse, forgetful of people’s names, the First Doctor could be a warm elderly figure shown greatly through his love for his granddaughter Susan. But his activities were always suspicious from the getgo, from being a junk yard near an old police box, to his proclamation that he was helping invent color television, the show’s original producers wanted a character unlike many heroes or anti-heroes of science fiction.
More than anything, the First Doctors era became the template for the rest of the show. Within the span of the first three and a half seasons, we know the Doctor is a renegade, an alien of a race responsible for the creation of time travel, and, in his last adventure, that he has the ability to renew himself (the term regeneration was not introduced until the end of the third doctors tenure). The First Doctor tends to not rank highly in most best Doctor polls due to his age and reputation, but his importance lies in that he was the establishing point of the next 50 years, a strange man highly capable of being mischievous, caring, romantic, and humorous, but one that was the trusting hand to all the children frightened behind the sofa at home.
TWO ESSENTIAL STORIES
‘The Aztecs’
This four-part serial dealt with the ethical ramifications of altering history. Barbara, one of the companions is a historical expert on the Aztec Empire. She deems that this would be her chance to rid the world of the concept of human sacrifice. She believes altering time here would benefit generations to come. During one of the many debates over time-altering, The Doctor makes the famous exclamation: “You can’t rewrite history! Not one line!”
The Doctor and his companions become integrated into Aztec culture. Barbara tries to convince the high priest to forgo his barbaric ways, while the Doctor winds up getting engaged simply by drinking cocoa with another woman. The future is in peril as Barbara nearly succeeds in changing history. However, after a number of confrontations where the outcome could have affected the future, events occurred as history recorded them and the only change was the self-imposed exile of the high priest whom Barbara influenced. The Doctor reveals that the isolated change would not alter the course of history. However, this story arc revealed a very important lesson about the notion of altering time.
‘The Massacre’
It’s fitting to have two very noted historical stories as the essentials, but sadly, “T”The Massacre” only exists in a telesnap and audio form thanks to the BBC’s junking of ’60s Doctor Who episodes in the early ’70s. That being said if you are willing to either find a novelization of this story or listen to the soundtrack, “The Massacre” is another barn-burner that focuses on the laws of interference.
This idea plays a lot more heavily in the new series, but at the time, it was a quick reminder of consequences, especially at the hands of the First Doctor. The previous story to “The Massacre,” the epic 12-parter, the Daleks’ Masterplan, saw two companions die at the hands of the Doctor’s greatest enemies all at the behest of his toying and need to destroy his greatest foes. Here his companion Steven suffers an ultimate fate of seeing a woman he falls in love with left behind during the events of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Eve. In the final moments of the episode, the Doctor’s companion Steven scolds the Doctor for leaving maid Anne Chaplin behind to die amongst the thousands of lives that would be lost, once again explaining that altering the course of established history can be detrimental to the timeline.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbPk-dBgWJ0
HONORABLE MENTION
‘An Unearthly Child’
This is ground zero of Doctor Who, the Batman Begins of British science fiction. It aired on Nov. 23, 1963, the day that England learned of President Kennedy’s assassination. In historical context, the quick announcement of his death followed by the eerie opening of the original song and title sequence sets a remarkably strange tone for years to come. “An Unearthly Child” itself is not that remarkable, minus its first episode which sets up the basis of what anyone needed to know about the show. Bill Hartnell upon first appearance as the elderly Doctor rummaging in a junk yard is so alien and abrasive, it’s amazing an audience of children warmed up. The rest of the story which centers on the Doctor and his companions visiting the Stone Age when fire was about invented is not that exciting, but this and the subsequent story featuring the Daleks sets up the possibilities of the show right from the start.
‘The Web Planet’
This story is normally considered the most popular of the First Doctor’s era and for obvious reasons, it’s a gloriously worked and completely preposterous story. Set on the planet Vortis, the Doctor and his companions, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki find themselves in the middle of a war between two insect alien races the Zarbi and the Menoptra. This is one of the earliest instances of social commentary being interwoven into the show and the beauty of Doctor Who in the sixties was its ability to include these themes in such a radical time in the world. While insect costumes are cheap looking at best, the performances of the principal cast, Hartnell especially, keep this six-parter afloat as an excellent bit of sixties sci-fi lore.
‘The Dalek Invasion Of Earth’
With the Daleks having been established as a major foe of The Doctor, this serial took place in the future, the year 2164 (not so far off now, are we?) where the Daleks are invading Earth and a resistance has gathered in England to thwart them. This arc is significant as human losses were numerous and the series took a grim turn towards hopelessness and a perceived inevitable defeat for humankind. Although this tale saw the Dalek plan foiled and defeated, this was the final appearance of Susan, the granddaughter of The Doctor from the television series.
‘The Tenth Planet’
Heading to the year 1986, The Doctor and his companions Ben Jackson and Polly bear witness to a planet entering the solar system, a tenth planet called Mondas. Formerly a sister planet to Earth, its inhabitants return to the solar system more advanced yet less human. This is the first appearance of the Cybermen, introduced as beings who adapted machine components to their bodies, eliminating the weaknesses of feelings and emotions. During the various confrontations with the Cybermen, the Doctor becomes ill. Ben and other humans find the weakness of these Cybermen and exploit it in order to gain the advantage, and ultimately destroy Mondas. With the Cybermen defeated, the threat has ended.
However, it is not without its casualties as The Doctor collapses. Revealing his body can no longer take the strain, he appears to pass away. Mourning over his death is halted when for the first time, we see the regeneration process and the second Doctor is born.
All Photos Credit: BBC America
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