It is Ian that tells Za that 'the whole tribe is stronger than Kal.' and perhaps introduces an element of communism into the previously individualistic caveman world. He's still in denial until they step outside onto an alien world.** It is Ian that makes fire. If the TARDIS is real then Ian's whole world view is about to take a big kicking. He's most in denial initial when they stumble into the TARDIS, perhaps because it basically takes his science teaching and laughs in his face. This is a strange time-traveller with his baffling machine that is bigger on the inside. I like Hartnell's performance but I can see why it is a bit of a culture shock to people coming to him from New Doctor Who. More alien than The Doctor will ever be again really. Notoriously he looks like he's about to pick up a rock and kill Za when the opportunity to escape is slipping from their grasp thanks to Barbara's decision to go help the wounded caveman. He sulks when Ian takes control of events. He kidnaps Ian and Barbara to protect Susan. Firstly Hartnell's portrayal of the Doctor is very different to The Doctor that we have come to know and love. I should stop here for a moment and make some comments about the cast. The Doctor (William Hartnell), Ian (William Russell), Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) and Susan (Carole Ann Ford) end up captured, tied up and dump in the Cave of Skulls. These three episodes work because everyone in the cast is doing their damnedest to put in good performances. None of them are over-the-top, which would have been the easiest thing to do in the circumstances. Whatever they feel about throwing themselves about on flea infested sand in furs as people they don't let it spoil their acting. As are Aleathea Charlton, Derek Newark and Jeremy Young. Fears that the strangers will bring them fire and sets out to make things more complicated for everyone. Then there's the Old Mother (Eileen Way) who fears fire. The Doctor's lack of matches means he can't make fire there and then, which gives Za his chance to undermine Kal. He thinks he's got his own pet fire maker.Īlas it doesn't turn out to be that simple. When Kal sees the Doctor light his pipe he thinks he's got one up on Za. A wanderer from another tribe who wasn't killed but accepted. Za's father used to have the secret, but died without passing it on. The secret of making fire is what makes a man the leader of his tribe. Hur clearly doesn't want to be partner to anyone but Za. Za wasn't going to go into the darkness after the travellers, but Hur gave him the push to do so. There's an element of Macbeth* about it too, as Hur (Aleathea Charlton) gives Za (Derek Newark) the oomph he needs to act. The West Wing in skins - although I'm not going to pretend the dialogue is of equal standard. The key is that everyone plays it absolutely straight. The following three episodes are far better than you'd believe from the fan gestalt. The Doctor is edgy and alien in a way we're not used to.Īnd that's all I'm going to say about it. Its title sequence & music are radical and wonderful. It's possibly one of the finest first episodes of any television series ever made. I must have watched it a dozen times and it never feels tired. There's even an hour and a half television movies that revolves around the creation of Doctor Who. Its creation has been discussed both in fact and fiction. I don't intend to do that for two reasons: firstly there isn't really much I can say about the first episode that hasn't already been said better by other more brilliant people than I secondly because I'd like to talk about the three episodes in more detail.Įpisode one must be one of the most analysed twenty-five minutes in television drama. The traditional thing when reviewing An Unearthly Child is to concentrate on the brilliance of the first episode and then point out how disappointing the three caveman episodes that follow are. Here is the First Doctor adventure An Unearthly Child.įind Tony's full Classic Doctor Who on BritBox list of reviews here. Every Sunday in 2020, our Doctor Who expert, Tony Cross, looks back at some of the classic stories. On 26th December 2019, 627 pieces of Classic Doctor Who content were made available to Britbox subscribers.
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