Doctor Who in the 60s: The Beginning

The Black and White Era of Doctor Who is really where it all began. So many elements of the 60s just laid the ground work for the series in the long run. In some ways it was better in the 60s than it was in the 70s or 80s, even today. Someways it wasn't.

All the Doctor Who concepts start here though. The Doctor, The TARDIS, Companions, Time Lords, Regeneration, UNIT, The Brigadier, Daleks, Cybermen, and even Ice Warriors. All products of that first decade. And when you think that not even the Ice Warriors were stable enough to get more than 2 stories in the Pertwee era...then the 60s really created everything that was iconic or long lasting about the show.

The 60s gave us 2 doctors, Hartnell and Troughton. Hartnell was our gruff and grumpy, stubborn old Doc, who had his lighthearted adventuress spirit and grandfatherly aspects. Torughton was the "cosmic hobo" as much as that term is so often thrown for him, it really does work. He is more of the fun uncle than the wise grandfather. But both really are the Doctor. Troughton is in my Top Three Doctors, he is just so fun to watch.

The 60s were really hit hard by the junking policy. Only some of Jon Pertwee stories got junked, and they have every episode found, some are stuck in Black and White...but luckily new technology has started that will finish recolorizing whats left to be brought back to color.

So as a Decade how did Doctor Who fair in the 60s? Fantastic. I think despite the amount of troubleshooting and shakyness some of the stories and/or seasons had, this show did well enough to get another season, another Doctor, and a move to Color at the start of the 70s.

NEXT WEEK: New Life in Exile