6. The Aztecs

If I had to pick one story to represent the 1st Doctor, I would have to choose 'The Aztecs'. This is probably one of the top 10 best Doctor Who stories ever. It is an example of a strong story, a clear message, a well paced 4 part story, and perfect characterization.

Barbara is the start of this story. Mistaken as an Aztec god, she wields her power benevolently and tries to charge their bloody culture. The Doctor warns her against changing history and works to keep the rest of the crew out of peril. Ian plays the valiant and brave warrior and Susan is the hand maiden. With the TARDIS trapped inside the temple, the crew has to figure out how to get it back without getting killed.

Whereas the last historical trip to Marco Polo didn't pose any peril of changing time or avoiding disaster, this story sets the mold for the type of historical story for decades to come. Knowing this culture will die out soon, Barbara tries to avert this disaster. In the new series episode The Fires of Pompey, Donna tries to avert the death of thousands in the face of Vesuvius. The seeds of that story lie here with The Aztecs.

This also sees the Doctor get engaged to Cameca via a drink of cocoa. I think the Doctor actually felt bad for breaking her heart. Of course the Doctor finally made it to the alter almost 50 years later with the wedding of River Song.

It's not accident that the Doctor's first two companions are a science teacher and a history teacher. The story, for many years, fall into one of these two categories. These early historicals were so well done, with the BBC excelling at costume historical dramas. In the late 90's, I took a cruise to the Caribbean and when on an excursion to Mayan ruins in Mexico. When I climbed to the top of the step pyramid, I could imagine Barbara on her throne, Ian fighting Ixta, and the Doctor in the garden. It's because of this Doctor Who story that I appreciated the history and culture of these people so much more as I walked the ground they lived upon and climbed the temples they died upon.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Aztecs_(Doctor_Who)

Next episode- The Sensorites!

5. The Keys of Marinus

After the sweeping vistas of 13th century China, we are now flung forward to far future on the planet Marinus. This time the TARDIS is being held hostage and the Doctor and crew have to retrieve 5 keys spread across the face of Marinus to get the TARDIS back. And thus the adventure continues.

Written my the creator of the Daleks Terry Nation, it was the only time the writer ventured outside of his creations. The Voord are actually quite interesting and could have been developed into a much more sinister adversary. But here they are not much more than background dressing and are sadly under utilized.

This story could have been told in 4 episodes but there is a bit of padding, with two whole episodes without the Doctor! Today those would be called "Doctor-lite episodes". In my timeline, I first watched season 16- "The Key to Time" which took the Doctor 6 stories to gather 6 pieces of the Key to Time. When I finally saw the Keys of Marinus for the first time, I saw the story roots of what became the Key to Time. In surveying the grand tapestry of stories that Doctor Who has woven over 50 years, I can appreciate this story's place in history and the foundation it laid for decades to come.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Keys_of_Marinus

Next thrilling episode- The Aztecs!!

4. Marco Polo

The greatest tragedy that ever occurred in Doctor Who wasn't the Daleks killing millions of innocent people, or the Cybermen converting whole civilizations, it's that not every episode of Doctor Who exists today. At some point in the late 60's/ early 70's, the BBC randomly destroyed tapes in their library to make room for more tapes. To date, there are 106 episode of Doctor Who missing from existence. Many episodes were found over the years, across the world, and there is always hope that more will be found in time. But we now arrive at the first victim of this senseless extermination.

Marco Polo was a 7 episode story from early 1964 and none of it exists in video. It was the first "celebrity historical" with the title character taking our TARDIS crew across Cathay (a/k/a China) to Peking (a/k/a Beijing) to see Kublai Khan. There still exists telesnaps from the production and the audio soundtrack with linking narration. So despite the lack of video, we can still experience this wonderful story.

A special feature of The Edge of Destruction DVD is a 30-minute telesnap reconstruction set to the original's television soundtrack. While this condensed version can't fully show the depth and breath of the full 7 episodes, it does provide a lovely morsel to enjoy. It portrays Marco Polo as a very thoughtful leader, with many layers and a myriad of motivations. The program continues to show the history as a treacherous place, filled with peril and danger. Our time team is once again held captive, with Marco holding on to the TARDIS as a gift for Khan. Only by the keen intellect of the Doctor does he win the TARDIS back.

I have listened to the television soundtrack many times over the years and have grown to appreciate the story. The audio version does allow ones imagination to create the vistas and landscapes this story took our crew through. I am sure the full television episodes were a treat, to show far off locations, exotic peoples, and a great adventure.

The new series has made the "celebrity historical" a staple of every season with the likes of Charles Dickens, Queen Victoria, Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, and VanGough. These episodes are some of the most popular and highly acclaimed of nuWho. But in this year of celebration, these episodes owe their existence to this story.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo_(Doctor_Who)

Next episode- The Keys of Marinus!

3. The Edge of Destruction

From the far flung past to the far flung future, we now get a little 2 part story set entirely Inside the Ship. And I have to say, this is probably my favorite 1st Doctor story. It showcases the 4 lead actors so well. It is a master class in psychological drama. It begins to reveal the TARDIS as more than just a ship. By the end of the story, the crew has been broken apart and put back together for the better and sets the show on a course we're still seeing today.

In An Unearthly Child, the antagonist were the cavemen. In The Daleks, the title character were the antagonists. Each captured, tortured, and put the Doctor, Susan, Barbara and Ian through the paces. Each time reacting to the elements and enemies in front of them.

This time, they're trapped inside the TARDIS and have no one to fight with exempt themselves. The tension from the internal strife becomes so thick you can cut it with a sonic screwdriver. In the forging of this crew, this is the final challenge that brings a more lasting cohesion and comradery that will continue on for adventures to come.

In the classic series, they never did another story set entirely in one set. In the new series, the episode 'Midnight' with David Tennant was set entirely inside a shuttle craft. Rumor has it that one of the upcoming Matt Smith episode will be set entirely, once again, inside the TARDIS. And I for one can't wait!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Edge_of_Destruction

Up next: Marco Polo!

2. The Daleks

Ah the Daleks. What more can you say about the Daleks?
If the previous story kicked open the TARDIS door, then this story pushed you through it and took you for a ride!
This story secured the popularity of both Doctor Who and of the Daleks.

Several hallmark Doctor attributes are introduced here:
-over riding desire to explore - check
-instigating a revolution- check
-rallying an army- check
-getting your companions to do all the work- check
-defeating an evil force- check

To watch this story from 2013, the Daleks seem almost silly. The characters have evolved so much of the past 50 years and have become much more of a formidable enemy. The idea that at this point, they're trapped in their own city because they're solely powered by the static electricity in the floor is such wooly thinking. And in the end, they were all defeated. But somehow, they came back and kept coming back to battle the Doctor.

The first story I saw the Daleks in was Genesis of the Daleks from 1975. This story introduced Davros, the creator of the Daleks. He featured in all subsequent Daleks stories through the end of the original series in 1989. So for me for a long time, there were no Daleks without Davros. It wasn't until some time later when my PBS started airing the episodes from the 1960's and early 70's with the first three Doctors did I get to experience the Daleks as a threat by themselves, not over shadowed by their creator.

When the series returned in 2005, the new producers of the show were smart in returning the Daleks to this position and have retained this stance. But in peeling back the years and returning to this true "genesis" of the Daleks, we see the purest and simplest iteration of the characters and we see the genius of Terry Nation, the true creator of the Daleks. Last episode I spoke of catching lightning in a bottle and they once again caught it with the Daleks!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daleks

Next episode- The Edge of Destruction!

1. An Unearthly Child

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. -Lao-tzu

And so at 11:23 am, I began this epic journey. No matter how many times I have watched it, I simply love the first episode of Doctor Who. When they talk about "capturing lightning in a bottle", they were talking about episode 1 of An Unearthly Child. Simply magic on the television screen.

It is wonderful that through this program, we can travel back in time and space to November 23, 1963 to see the birth of an institution. Being first introduced to Ian and Barbara, school teachers of the Coal Hill School, provides the "every day person" point of view. And through their eyes, we are introduced to the very unearthly Susan, her mysterious grandfather, and a police box that's not a police box. From the moment Barbara forces her way and we take our first step inside the TARDIS, life as we know it is never the same. The way the Doctor is portrayed, as a grumpy, old man, often characterized as the "anti-hero", was actually quite amusing. He essentially kidnapped Barbara and Ian and went on the run. The first time we see the TARDIS take off still gives me chills. Pure magic.

The remaining three episodes of the story are set in pre-historic times, with a bunch of cavemen fighting over fire to rule the clan. Frankly not the most exciting stuff but it does showcase our four leads actors in dire situations and the beginning of their uneasy alliance. Their imprisonment provided the crucible for extraneous issues to burn away to the most simplest situation- survival. Ironically the Doctor is not the hero of the story but Ian and Barbara.

Being a child of the 70's, my first episodes of Doctor Who were the 4th Doctor Tom Baker's. It wasn't until much later that my local PBS station started broadcasting the episodes of William Hartnell (the 1st Doctor). It was interesting to finally see the genesis of Doctor Who and the beginnings of what I had grown to take for granted in the course of the show.

Many of the tropes and conventions used in this first episode were used again in the first episode of the new series relaunch "Rose" in 2005. Despite the time that had passed and a very changed world, the magic remained and lightning was capture twice in our bottle.

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Unearthly_Child

Next episode- The Daleks!

An Epic Journey Through Time & Space

To mark the 50th anniversary year of Doctor Who and to celebrate the release of the last few existing episodes on DVD, I shall begin the ultimate Doctor Who marathon today. As best I can, I will watch every existing episode of Doctor Who in chronological order between today, Janauary 1, 2013 and November 23, 2013- the 50th anniverary. I figured if I watch at least 2 episodes a day over the next 326 days, I can accomplish this herculean task. I will blog after I have finished with each story with my review, hopefuly followed by a response from my blog counterpart.

FIrst stop- November 23, 1963- 76 Totters Lane.

Happy Who Year!
-Michael