Intelligent, proud and highly opinionated, the first Doctor, played by William Hartnell, travelled the universe with a variety of companions. Though he might not have had the strength or agility of the Doctors that follow him, his courage, daring, intelligence and pure nerve more than make up for it! So here are my three top first Doctor stories…
One thing I have always loved about Doctor Who, it’s not all Sci-fi, we have little gems like this episode! The TARDIS lands in 15th century Mexico, in the tomb of the High Priest Yetaxa. The Doctor, Ian, Susan and Barbra leave to investigate without realizing the tomb had sealed itself and cannot be re-opened, they are trapped from the TARDIS with no foreseeable way back, in one of the most barbaric and dangerous times they could land in where human sacrifices were common. Barbra is mistaken for the reincarnation of Yetaxa, she is able to use this position of power to allow the Doctor, Ian and Susan to try and find a way back to the TARDIS, leading to a political battle as people doubt she is the true reincarnation.
So why do I love this episode so much? Well it’s just a typical edge of your seat adventure, there’s no high tech science to pretend to understand, it’s a matter of history with a slight science fiction twist, and I really find that it works for this episode!
Had to be here, didn’t it? The Second ever Dalek episode, and one of my personal favourites! So The Doctor, Ian, Susan and Barbra arrive in London, a destination they have been searching for since the Doctor kidnapped them right at the very beginning! The initial happiness soon leaves them as a slightly ominous silence dawns upon them, big ben fails to chime and there is not a sound to be heard. London is dead, or very nearly so, but for a few survivors who fight the order which has over thrown them. As the Doctor and Ian search for Susan and Barbra they are spotted by an insane looking man, a Roboman. They decide to try and swim for it and turn and see, arguably, one of the most iconic images in Doctor Who’s history, one of the Doctors most feared enemies, believed long dead, rising slowly from the depths of the Thames. A Dalek. We watch as The Doctor, Ian, Barbra and Susan go on an adventure, discovering just what the Daleks want with earth…
Of course another reason this episode is brilliant is because of the way it ends, the first ever time Doctor Who brings a tear to your eye with those now iconic words.
“One day, I shall come back, yes I shall come back. Until then there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxiety’s, just go forward in all your beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mind… Goodbye Susan, goodbye my dear”
One of my all time favourites! The Doctor, Vicky and new companion Stephen arrive in the 11th century. Trying to convince Stephen that they have indeed travelled back in time they go for a walk, Stephen remains sceptical and feels his point is proven when they come across a hunter who has on his person a modern day wristwatch. The Doctor also comes across yet another oddity, the monk who is singing is not in fact a monk at all, the sound is coming from a gramophone, another device not yet invented. They come across The Meddling Monk, another time traveller such as themselves, and the first time we ever see a second TARDIS! The Monk changes time to benefit himself, something of which the Doctor wholly disapproves of, so he decides to put a stop to it…
This episode is so special to me because not only is it an edge of the seat episode, with a Viking invasion imminent, but also it has its lighter moments, it has comic relief, moments that genuinely make you laugh, and the ending is rather superb. The Monk certainly gets his comeuppance; I won’t spoil it for you if you haven’t seen it however!
So if you call yourself a Doctor who fan, and you haven’t yet seen all three of the above, where have you been at? Seek them out and watch them at once!