A while back, I posited that Jon Pertwee’s first season of Doctor Who was possibly the best overall season of the classic era. The deciding factor was that there were only four stories and three of them were excellent. That meant that roughly 75% of the season was excellent — a tough percentage to beat. But of course, there are a couple of valid challengers to it, like Season 13, but all that was covered last time. 

This time, I was gratified to see my Blu-ray boxed set show up a week earlier than expected! 

But… dilemma! In two days, I was due to leave on a vacation. So, either I wedge the entire season into two days, or I wait until I get back in two weeks. 

Dilemma. 

I mean, I’ve seen all four stories multiple times and own them already on DVD, but of course, I’m an idiot and needed the Blu-ray, AND IT’S SEASON SEVEN. I’d only be gone for two weeks after all, and trying to squeeze the entire season’s viewing into 48 hours is just….

Okay! I managed to get through Spearhead from Space and Doctor Who and the Silurians in one night. Some extraneous thoughts, since I raved about all these stories last time… 

At first, I was a bit irked that everyone kept referring to Liz as Miss Shaw, instead of Dr Shaw. The woman’s a full fledged scientist with degrees, people! But then I realised that scenes might get tangled up introducing them as the Doctor and Dr Shaw. Okay, it sounds and reads much better as “The Doctor and Miss Shaw.” Fair enough. 

I was a tiny bit surprised that there were no CGI effects upgrade for Spearhead, but then again, there weren’t many areas for it. Tentacles wrapping around Pertwee’s head — what more should you really do? So I’ll forgive that. 

Regarding Pertwee’s first looks, it’s not often we see a naked Doctor taking a shower; even rarer is him turning around, almost showing us his wee Pert! You devils! Another detail that occurred to me: some of the story beat similarities between Pertwee and Tom Baker’s first stories coming out of regeneration. Both incarnations had their TARDIS keys hidden in their shoes and both put on floppy hats. I think Robert Holmes and Terrance Dicks really liked the shoe trick.

Speaking of shoes, whoever was in charge of continuity, I don’t think those loafers of Pertwee’s were the same shoes Troughton wore. I could be wrong, but I think Pat had lace-ups. Of course, when Baker regenerated into Peter Davison, the latter was magically wearing shoes instead of the boots Baker had on. Sloppy.

Listen, I know the William Hartnell to Patrick Troughton change came with brand new clothes, but only changing shoes from one body to another… is that a fetish? Time Lords might be a kinky bunch. 

Moving on to Doctor Who and the Silurians… Good to see not only Nyder before he signed up with Davros, and Hieronymous before he pledged allegiance to Mandragora, but we got to see Avon before he signed up with Blake! This was well before he got all arch with Colin Baker after he left Blake’s place.

Yes, young Paul Darrow was Captain Hawkins.

I was a bit more surprised they didn’t upgrade the effects here, at least for the cave dinosaur. Not a deal breaker by any means, but I swear to God, they better take the money they didn’t use here and use it on Invasion of the Dinosaurs. They’ve been warned. 

And you’re now warned in advance. I will make my displeasure known if they don’t fix those dinosaurs. Somehow. But I digress.

I’d like to take a moment to appreciate the little things. The little moments that carry weight. Like when the Doctor and Liz are working on an antidote for the Silurian plague. We see the nuts and bolts of them actually working on the cure. Procedure. Special microscopes and equipment being set up, slides actually being prepared, the Doctor actually acting like an adult scientist working on a scientific problem! When do we ever even get a hint of that in the revival? It all goes toward grounding things, giving the proceedings actual weight. 

There’s developing characters and letting a story breathe, and then there’s padding. There’s a sweet spot in between and this one lands in that sweet spot. 

Speaking of weight, the stakes here… a plague is spreading around the world, and people are actually DYING. We never find out how many, but having gone through the Covid pandemic, you know it was bad. But again, it lent gravity to the situation. Something that I think is lacking in the most recent eras.

Revisiting the Silurian masks — yes, they were a bit clunky and rubbery, but the bottom lip moved a bit and the actors did a good job of selling the delivery. 

And finally… the ending. The Brig deliberately lies to the Doctor, basically betraying him. Although at the same time, those explosions merely destroyed the entrances to the base. The Doctor said it was cold blooded murder, but I don’t think any extra Silurians were necessarily harmed in the blasts. At least not that many, considering the Eleventh Doctor did indeed run into them 50 years later like clockwork.

Still, how tense was the relationship between the Brig and the Doctor after that?! 

Of course, we really have no way of knowing how much time had passed between the ending of that story and the beginning of The Ambassadors… OF DEATH. I’ll find out tomorrow, as I bring Day One to a close. I’ve really got to get to sleep…

Day Two! It’s The Ambassadors… OF DEATH!

And pretty much no time has passed since the last story, but evidently, the Doctor doesn’t carry too much of a grudge against the Brig, aside from an early sarcastic remark. No, his hidden resentment will be aimed at virtually every other military figure he’ll meet after the Time War. Ah well. 

During the early warehouse raid, you’ve got several thugs, the Brig and UNIT exchanging gunfire. Then, at some point, they all decide to run at each other (!) — while still firing — just so they can start punching each other. I don’t feel this is a sound battle tactic, as they are then punching and shooting at each other simultaneously. 

Side note: I love Nick Courtney, but during pitched gun battles, even though they’re taking cover behind crates, the Brig stands up, heroically posing, just so he can fire from the waist. Not a sound military battle strategy, Lethbridge-Stewart! Later on in the story, the Brig has a punch-up with another thug (not the best choreographed fight in the world) and Nick needed some extra pointers.

Well, they’re paying HAVOC, so I guess they wanted to get their money’s worth. And they had to pad out these scenes, as well as many others, because yeah, this should have been a tight, four-part, electrifying, sci-fi, espionage, action thriller. It was most of these things, but stretched to seven rather long parts. A shame, because as a four-parter, its reputation would be much greater. 

I love Michael Wisher (Davros), but any time he pops up, this time as a TV reporter, that voice is unmistakable. 

This story’s heavy, Reegan, boy, he’s a busy guy. Kind of reminds me of Scorby, only smarter, more ambitious, and with a better work ethic.

Side notes:

• Benton’s in da house!
• Pertwee used his grandfather’s clothes for his attire this season. Thank goodness for gramps for providing that signature style!
• It’s easy to forget that during this inaugural season, Pertwee hadn’t really started using Venusian Akido yet. Some slight of hand mixed with temporal mechanics, but there was a distinct lack of HAI!’s this season. A shame, because he would’ve taken down Reegan no problem. 

Must continue packing, then it’s on to the finale. Oh, I’ve missed seeing good finales. 

Yes, Inferno. Cracking good finale. Here, Pertwee does start the Akido pressure point attacks. The more comprehensive fights will come later. 

Stahlman has very expressive eyebrows.

As I rewatch this season, I am reminded that Liz was definitely a more professional and accomplished companion. She’s never reduced to the stereotypical screaming companion whose sole purpose is to ask the Doctor questions. She’s usually working with him, whether it’s on the TARDIS console, the computer, the cure for the plague, etc. 

The Pert still finds moments to patronise her — “There’s a good girl”, which of course grates — but that’s our JP! 

And there we have it. Definitely one of the best seasons of the classic era, but again, it has some serious competition. I’m amazed I managed to fit it all in in two days. 

Of course, circumstances now dictate that we have to delay our departure by a whole day, so it turns out, I actually didn’t need to rush after all. 

I guess I can watch the special features…