Doctor Who Twitch Watch: recommendations of the day 05/31
By James Aggas
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC Press.)
As season two of the Classic Series begins today on Twitch, we look at the next four stories in the ongoing Doctor Who marathon.
With the first four stories of season two featured today on Twitch, we’ve got a couple of major stories to look at. As we say goodbye to one of the Doctor’s companions for the first time, we also say hello to another.
The TARDIS crew finally lands on Earth in the 20th century. But something goes horribly wrong, as they encounter a Planet of Giants…
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC Press.)
Planet of Giants
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The TARDIS finally gets Ian and Barbara back to Earth in the twentieth century. But something has gone wrong, as the entire TARDIS crew have shrunk to the size of one inch!
I’ll be honest, it’s been a long time since I last watched this one. While the idea is memorable (there was a reason Honey I’ve Shrunk the Kids was so popular, after all), this story really isn’t. It wasn’t a bad story, from what I can remember. But it also wasn’t a very strong one, either.
Perhaps it’s the fact that this story gets overshadowed by more major ones that followed. Maybe the fact that it was meant to be four episodes, before getting heavily edited into three, is another reason why this one doesn’t stand out.
But while it’s far from the worst Doctor Who story ever made, it’s not exactly one I can strongly recommend, either.
In the 22nd century, the Daleks have conquered Earth…
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC Press.)
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
Now this is more like it! The sequel to season one’s massively popular story The Daleks, Terry Nation took his creations from their original home planet, and transported them to Earth.
We’ve seen many stories with Daleks on Earth since then. But what’s great about The Dalek Invasion of Earth is that they’re not trying to invade. Instead, they’ve already been occupying the Earth for years.
As a result, the story focuses on what happens when humans are in desperate conditions and struggling to survive. Unsurprisingly, many people make different choices.
While many of the characters we meet are freedom fighters, we meet one or two who are simply out for themselves. So Terry Nation made sure to include an interesting mix of characters for the story.
We’ve also got plenty of iconic imagery, too. Part one’s cliffhanger is brilliantly done, and a moment that really stands out. We also get plenty of images of the Daleks at some of London’s most iconic locations. Something that we haven’t seen much of from the TV series since.
But it’s the final scene that really stands out. We have the first ever companion exit with this story. It’s quite a moving one, too. When you watch the Doctor’s goodbye to his granddaughter, be sure to have the tissues ready.
We say hello to Vicki in the two-part story, The Rescue.
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC Press.)
The Rescue
At only two parts, The Rescue is a very short story for the First Doctor. One of the shortest, even. But it’s still a story that stands out.
One reason for this is that it includes a great deal of suspense and tension throughout its two episodes. The Rescue does a fantastic job of building up the villain of the piece, Koquillion. But is the monster truly what it seems?
However, it’s the introduction of new companion Vicki that really makes this memorable. You’ll instantly see that, contrary to popular fan belief, the character isn’t simply a copy of Susan. While she clearly fills that distinctive gap in the TARDIS family, she’s very much her own character.
The Rescue is short, but both memorable and enjoyable. If you have very little time to spare today, see if you can squeeze these two episodes in, at least.
The First Doctor and his companions have an adventure both dramatic and comedic in The Romans.
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC Press.)
The Romans
Having recently re-watched and reviewed The Romans just a few weeks ago, this is a story that I can definitely recommend. Along with the usual drama featured in a historical, there’s also a nice amount of comedy mixed in, too.
Admittedly, some of the comedy is very dated, particularly involving Nero. But some scenes can still provide a laugh or two.
The drama is still fantastic, particularly involving Ian and Barbara. Captured and sold into slavery at the start, their side of the story includes very few laughs.
Except, of course, for the few scenes that they share together. These scenes are particularly cute, and if you’re a big fan of these two as a pairing, then you’ll definitely love these moments.
The Romans might not be quite as strong as yesterday’s The Aztecs, but it’s still an enjoyable historical.
Overall recommendation: The Dalek Invasion of Earth
While we’ve got a good mix of stories from season two today, the highlight for today was always going to be this one. With Daleks in London, some haunting imagery and an emotional goodbye scene, there are many key reasons why The Dalek Invasion of Earth is so iconic.
More importantly, however, it’s very much a strong story in its own right. An excellent sequel to an incredibly important story, and certainly essential viewing for any Whovian.
Next: Doctor Who Twitch Watch: recommendations of the day 05/30
What story are you excited to watch today? Do you have a favorite out of these four? And if you’ve been enjoying the Twitch marathon, how did you find the first season of Doctor Who overall? Let us know in the comments below.