028 - The Smugglers

Broadcast:

10^th Septembers - 1^st October 1966

Doctor:

William Hartnell

Companions:

Ben, Polly

Adversary:

Pirates and Smugglers

Written by:

Brian Hayles

Director:

Julia Smith

Music:

None

Script Editor:

Gerry Davis

Producer:

Innes Lloyd

Average Viewers:

4.48m (4.3, 4.9, 4.2, 4.5)

Summary: Two travellers from the swinging sixties find themselves in Cornwall but can't believe its the 17th century. When they get caught up with smugglers and missing treasures they start to believe.

The start of Doctor Who's fourth series was not a happy one. Modern practice is for a series opener to be strong and worthy of big promotion to draw attention and herald the return of the show, but in the 1960s it was common for serials to be held over from the end of the previous recording block. In production terms, The Smugglers was the last serial made for series 3 before everyone took a break. Michael Craze and Anneke Wills were still fresh as this was only their second story as Ben and Polly (and their first as full-on companions) but for the regular production staff it was the end of a long and turbulent year that had seen a change of Script Editor and two changes of Producer with the difficult ramifications of such hand-overs. William Hartnell in particular was unhappy and unwell and is largely written out of this story as the Doctor seems to get side-lined while Ben and Polly take much of the lead. Consequently, viewing figures were at an all-time low

027 - The War Machines

Broadcast:

25^th June - 16^th July 1966

Doctor:

William Hartnell

Companions:

Dodo, Polly, Ben

Adversary:

Sentient Computer, Robots/Machines

Written by:

Ian Stuart Black, Kit Pedler¹

Director:

Michael Ferguson

Music:

None

Script Editor:

Gerry Davis

Producer:

Innes Lloyd

Average Viewers:

5.23m (5.4, 4.7, 5.3, 5.5)

Summary: The newly opened communications hub in the Post Office Tower is taken over by its intelligent computer. Rather than joining the world's chief computers together to better human existence, it decides the world would be better off without us and issues instructions for war machines to be built.

The third season of Doctor Who was about to come to an end and the Lloyd/Davis broom was in full sweep. Not only was the companion change-over about to be completed but the adventure itself was something new. Since the Doctor left 1960s Earth in the very first episode he had only returned on three brief occasions plus one adventure that prevented any kind of normal interaction (Planet Of Giants saw the TARDIS crew reduced to the size of insects for the entire story, while The Chase, The Daleks' Master Plan, and The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve all featured 'passing through' moments)... The War Machines would be the first time a full story involved a contemporary setting with full scale threats and it was hoped that such stories could replace the less popular historicals.

In the news, an anti Vietnam war demonstration outside the US Embassy in London turned violent resulting in 31 of the 4000 protesters being arrested. France withdrew it's armed forces from NATO's integrated military command, the Warsaw Pact agreed to support North Vietnam and British Prime Minister Harold Wilson flew to Moscow to attempt (but ultimately fail) to negotiate peace. In Africa, Malawi became a republic two years after gaining independence from the UK and Zambia threatened to leave the commonwealth over the situation in Rhodesia. Closer to home, Princess Beatrice (Queen Victoria's granddaughter) died, Barclays introduced the Barclay Card as the first British credit card, and the FIFA World Cup got under way in England with 'World Cup Willie' being the first World Cup mascot.

In terms of entertainments, cinemas were showing the likes of The Moving Target, The Wrong Box, and The Glass Bottom Boat while the music charts were topped by "Paperback Writer" (The Beatles) and "Sunny Afternoon" (The Kinks)

Doctor Who itself was about to get some swinging beats as well with the Doctor's companions getting acquainted in a hip new nightclub called Inferno (which, coincidentally, has its own resonance considering other Doctor Who episode titles - the final episode of The Romans 18 months prior and the Third Doctor story Inferno 4 years later)

026 - The Savages

Broadcast:

28^th - 18^th June 1966

Doctor:

William Hartnell

Companions:

Steven, Dodo

Adversary:

Scientists

Written by:

Ian Stuart Black

Director:

Christopher Barry

Music:

Raymond Jones

Script Editor:

Gerry Davis

Producer:

Innes Lloyd

Average Viewers:

4.98m (4.8, 5.6, 5.0, 4.5)

Summary: Some time in the future, an advanced society live inside a perfect city with the ability to revitalise life. Outside the city, however, savage primitives are left to fend for themselves.

It is such a shame that the video for this story is among the missing. It is perhaps not the greatest Doctor Who story, but it is the first commissioned and fully controlled by the Lloyd/Davis team and therefore the first to have an over-all title and episodes simply being called "Part 1" etc. Very quickly, it feels different to pretty much everything that has gone before and with hindsight it is clearly a sign of things to come. They could finally start to sweep away the cobwebs in their attempt to revitalise the show and the final two stories of the season would see each of the companions bow out... and the star lead would soon learn that his position was no longer guaranteed either!

In the news, Fidel Castro declared martial law in Cuba in fear of a U.S. attack, The Nigerian government outlawed all political activity until 1969 (in fact, military rule would effectively prevail until 1998), and a tornado devastated Topeka, Kansas killing 16, injuring hundreds and was the first to cause $100m worth of damage. The US Supreme Court, meanwhile, introduced the 'Miranda Rights' requiring suspects to be informed of their rights before questioning (similar but unrelated legislation would arrive in Britain twelve years later). Closer to home, Guyana gained independence from UK and Éamon de Valera was re-elected as Irish president. Comedy series "Till Death Us Do Part" had it's TV début, while The Rolling Stones' "Paint It, Black" handed the number one spot over to Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night" in the music charts. Finally, cinemas were showing, among other things, A Patch of Blue, The Agony and the Ecstasy, and The Trouble with Angels.

For Doctor Who viewers, the TARDIS had last been seen departing from the Wild West and arriving, according to the Doctor, in a time of great advancement and prosperity... but the scanner screen showed a primitive looking man in animal skins...

025 - The Gunfighters

Broadcast:

30^th April - 21^st May 1966

Doctor:

William Hartnell

Companions:

Steven, Dodo

Adversary:

The Clanton Brothers

Written by:

Donald Cotton

Director:

Rex Tucker

Music:

Tristram Cary

Script Editor:

Gerry Davis

Producer:

Innes Lloyd

Average Viewers:

6.25m (6.5, 6.6, 6.2, 5.7)

Summary: Arriving in the Wild West, the Doctor finds himself mistaken for Doc Holliday and becomes the target of the Clanton Brothers' revenge. It's time for the gunfight at the O.K. Corral...

The Gunfighters represents some interesting points in Doctor Who's history. It is the last commissioned by the team of Wiles and Tosh, and therefore the last that Lloyd and Davis had to wrangle to fit their own style. Related to this is the fact that it is the last story to feature individual episode titles. As an historical adventure focusing on specific events, it is the first to contain serious misrepresentation of the facts (aside from the travellers' presence of course) and the last to focus on real events. It infamously received the lowest Audience Appreciation Index (though later figures were calculated differently and may not be comparable), the final episode in particular which also had one of the lowest number of viewers. On a brighter note, Anthony Jabobs who plays Doc Holliday, is the father of Matthew Jacobs who visited him on set and went on to write the TV Movie (where the Doctor returns to America and dons a Wyatt Earp costume!)

Around the world at the time, various political and military struggles continued. US troops in America reached a quarter million, while tens of thousands picketed the White House in protest. Mao Zedong issued the 'May 16 Notice' beginning the Cultural Revolution in the People's Republic Of China and intending to enforce communism by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society. It would last ten years and cripple the country politically, economically and socially.

In the UK, the Moors Murders trial ended with Ian Brady being found guilty of three murders, each carrying a life sentence, while Myra Hindley was found guilty of two murders and an accessory to the third. It would be almost twenty years before they were officially connected with their other two victims. A two month strike began by seamen, Liverpool won the First Division title while Everton won the FA Cup by scoring three goals in the last 16 minutes to overcome Sheffield Wednesday's 2-0 lead.

Musically, The Beach Boys released their "Pet Sounds" album, Bob Dylan released "Blonde On Blonde" and the British charts were topped by Manfred Mann's "Pretty Flamingo" and the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black". Meanwhile cinemas were showing Elvis Presley's Frankie And Johnny, Othello which featuring future Master actor Derek Jacobi, and most fittingly Westerns Ride Beyond Vengeance and Gunpoint. But how would the Doctor, Seven and Dodo cope when faced by pistol swinging, Stetson wearing, liquor swigging cowboys on a tight TV budget...?

024 - The Celestial Toymaker

Broadcast:

2^nd - 23^rd April 1966

Doctor:

William Hartnell

Companions:

Steven, Dodo

Adversary:

Celestial Toymaker

Written by:

Brian Hayles (Extensively rewritten by Donald Tosh)

Director:

Bill Sellars

Music:

Dudley Simpson

Script Editor:

Gerry Davis

Producer:

Innes Lloyd

Average Viewers:

8.3m (8.0, 8.0, 9.4, 7.8)

Summary: Trapped by the Celestial Toymaker, the travellers must play his games to win their freedom, but will he play fairly?

Continuing Doctor Who's transition, The Celestial Toymaker was the first under new producer Innes Lloyd and with Gerry Davis he wanted to refresh the show and take it in new and exciting directions. However, due to the show's almost constant production they would first have to get past stories inherited from John Wiles and Donald Tosh. The credit for The Celestial Toymaker is given to Brian Hayles but his original draft fell short of what Wiles and Tosh had wanted and was therefore rewritten (with the agreement that Tosh would receive the main credit while Hayles would receive a "From an idea by" credit - this would have been possible because Tosh knew he would no longer be Script Editor when it was transmitted). However, Lloyd wasn't happy with it when he took over and chose to have further rewrites carried out by Davis, including an idea to write out and replace William Hartnell. Unsurprisingly, Donald Tosh was unhappy with the new scripts and refused to have his name associated with it so the credit fell back to Brian Hayles despite bearing very little relation to his work!

While children were watching Steven and Dodo playing the Celestial Toymaker's twisted games, their parents were following political developments as Prime Minister Harold Wilson bolstered his fragile and unworkable majority by winning a snap election with an extra 91 seats. In Russia, Leonid Brezhnev became General Secretary of the Soviet Union, as well as Leader of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R. while the Soviet space probe Luna 10 became the first man-made object to enter orbit around the moon. Back in the UK, Barry Butler, captain of Norwich City F.C. was killed in a car accident, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley finally went on trial and Hoverlloyd inaugurate the first Cross-Channel hovercraft service. The music charts were topped by "Somebody Help Me" (The Spencer Davis Group) and "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" (Dusty Springfield), while cinemas were showing the likes of Battle of the Bulge, The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery (the fourth in the series) and The Ugly Dachshund.

When viewers had last seen the Doctor at the end of The Ark he was fading out and had become invisible so they would have been eager to find out what was going on...

023 - The Ark

Broadcast:

5^th - 26^th March 1966

Doctor:

William Hartnell

Companions:

Steven, Dodo

Adversary:

Monoids

Written by:

Paul Erickson, Lesley Scott¹

Director:

Michael Imison

Music:

Stock, Tristram Cary²

Script Editor:

Gerry Davis

Producer:

John Wiles

Average Viewers:

6.48m (5.5, 6.9, 6.2, 7.3)

Summary: When the TARDIS lands on an ark ship carrying the last of Earth's inhabitants, Dodo's cold puts them all at risk of being as extinct as her namesake. Just convincing her to use a handkerchief is not enough for the Doctor to save all humanity!

The Ark is something of a transitional story. It is the first fully script edited by Gerry Davis, the last produced by John Wiles, the first full adventure for new companion Dodo (who's accent goes through a change of its own!) and the first turn around in viewing figures since The Daleks' Master Plan was approaching its climax (though just like with that occasion it wouldn't last). Greater changes were also around the corner as the incoming producer would make sweeping changes to the cast so really this was just the start of a transitional period.

In the news, the British Government had just announced plans to decimalise the pound (though not for 5 years) and the BBC announced plans to start broadcasting in colour (BBC 2 would be the first in July 67). John Lennon made his infamous "more popular than Jesus" comment (though it would be five months before it caused controversy when it received its American publication), Austria won Eurovision (the UK entry came 9th), US manned craft Gemini 8 made the first space docking and Soviet probe Venera 3 reached Venus (but failed to land successfully). The Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen from an exhibition and found in a garden by a dog named Pickles a week later, the top half of Nelson's Pillar in Dublin was blown up by former IRA volunteers and the Irish Army engineers caused greater damage and disruption when they blew up the remaining stump to clear the unrepairable ruins. Two plane crashes in Japan took 188 lives in two days - the first crash when trying to land in Tokyo at night with poor visibility, the second hit turbulence over Mount Fuji shortly after taking off from Tokyo. Finally, there were protests in America (against the Vietnam War), Indonesia (against communism), and South Vietnam (against government policies)

Cinema releases during this story included The Reptile, Born Free, and Our Man Flint, and the music charts were still topped by Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" until The Walker Brothers began their own four week run with "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore". Oh, and influential and career launching satirical comedy show "The Frost Report" started.

022 - The Massacre Of St Bartholomew's Eve

Broadcast:

5^th - 26^th February 1966

Doctor:

William Hartnell

Companions:

Steven

Adversary:

French Catholics

Written by:

John Lucarotti, Donald Tosh

Director:

Paddy Russell

Music:

Stock

Script Editor:

Donald Tosh, Gerry Davis

Producer:

John Wiles

Average Viewers:

6.43m (8, 6, 5.9, 5.8)

Summary: Steven finds himself in a vulnerable position at a very dangerous and pivotal time in French history with shocks and surprises throughout.

Love them or hate them, historical stories were a standard part of Doctor Who's early years. Love them or hate them, 'Doctor light' stories have been a part of the revived show (though limited to one per series and only for a few years). The point is, love it or hate it The Massacre Of St Bartholomew's Eve is both of these things rolled into one. It is intriguing and dull at the same time, unless you know about 16th century France, but as a lesson aid it draws you into the period atmosphere ready to listen to and understand what your teacher is telling you, or embark on your own research.

The story title gives you a jumping off point for understanding or researching the setting. On the eve of St Bartholomew's day 1572 (the night of August 23rd) French Catholics assassinated a number of prominent Huguenots in Paris and general Catholic mob violence followed with several thousand deaths. A rather poignant coincidence saw about 2000 civilian villagers massacred in Tây Vinh and Gò Dài (Vietnam) during the broadcast of this story.

Lighter news included the Soviet spacecraft Luna 9 making the first controlled landing on the Moon and Australia moving to decimal currency and introducing their Dollar. Topping the music charts were The Overlanders' "Michelle" and Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'", while cinemas had such films as Never Too Late, Bunny Lake Is Missing, and by another similar coincidence The Great Sioux Massacre.

Since this story is completely missing from the archives, it is unclear how each of the writers and story editors were credited and various memories are conflicting. It is unlikely that Donald Tosh would have been allowed to receive credit for both writing and editing the story and it is presumed that he only has credit (or at least copyright, based on surviving documentation) for writing due to extensive rewrites of John Lucarotti's work and Lucarotti's alleged displeasure at them. Gerry Davis was the in-coming Story Editor and may simply have shadowed Tosh and received the credit because Tosh could not... So if the story itself doesn't leave you confused or bemused then the story behind it probably will!