Story: Spearhead from Space
Written By: Robert Holmes
Length: 4 Episodes
Year: 1970
Spearhead from Space is the opening of a whole new chapter. It really feels like a fresh start. New Doctor, New Season, New Format, New Style, New Opening Titles (same theme of course), New Characters, and in Color!
The Debut of the 1970s isn't the best story of Doctor Who, but you'd be hard pressed to find many that are better as a debut. Consequently, if you do look at the debuts of each Doctor, you will discover that almost all of them have poorly written debut episodes (Unearthly Child goes nowhere fantastic after Episode 1, Power of the Daleks isn't anything special, Robot for Tom Baker is weak, Castrovalva for Peter Davison is really weak, The Twin Dilemma is all around bad for Colin Baker, as is Time and Rani for McCoy).
Anyhow onto "Spearhead from Space". The Doctor lands on Earth after his exile from the Time Lords. The Brigadier goes to the hospital to see him after hearing that a man was found passed out near a Police Box in the middle of nowhere. Who else could it be. Unfortunately, the Doctor's new face, voice, and overall demeanor is surprising to the Brig, and he looks a little disappointed. We learn a little more about the Doctor here. For example, this is the first time we learn that he has two hearts.
At the same time, Earth is being slightly invaded by he Nestene Consiousness. The Nestenes control plastic, and eventually bring store dummys to life, The Autons. The Autons are great.
So the eventually the Doctor escapes the hospital, and steals some fancy clothes (velvet smoking jacket, cape, tuxedo pants) and then he steals a car. He eventually helps The Brigadier, UNIT, and who would become his new assistant - Liz Shaw into defeating the consciousness, and bringing down the Autons. The Brig eventually realizes that this is in fact THE Doctor, and altough he can't account for his change of appearance, he decides to ask the Doctor to help him in UNIT. The Doctor agrees, and the new chapter begins.
The UNIT Years, as the Pertwee Era is often referred as, is my favorite. I love Pertwee, the Brig, and eventually Jo and the Master. The whole style just works for me. Of the classic series, I must say Troughton comes second for me, but Pertwee reigns supreme.
NEXT TIME: Another Classic Who Villain is Created
Written By: Robert Holmes
Length: 4 Episodes
Year: 1970
Spearhead from Space is the opening of a whole new chapter. It really feels like a fresh start. New Doctor, New Season, New Format, New Style, New Opening Titles (same theme of course), New Characters, and in Color!
Anyhow onto "Spearhead from Space". The Doctor lands on Earth after his exile from the Time Lords. The Brigadier goes to the hospital to see him after hearing that a man was found passed out near a Police Box in the middle of nowhere. Who else could it be. Unfortunately, the Doctor's new face, voice, and overall demeanor is surprising to the Brig, and he looks a little disappointed. We learn a little more about the Doctor here. For example, this is the first time we learn that he has two hearts.
At the same time, Earth is being slightly invaded by he Nestene Consiousness. The Nestenes control plastic, and eventually bring store dummys to life, The Autons. The Autons are great.
So the eventually the Doctor escapes the hospital, and steals some fancy clothes (velvet smoking jacket, cape, tuxedo pants) and then he steals a car. He eventually helps The Brigadier, UNIT, and who would become his new assistant - Liz Shaw into defeating the consciousness, and bringing down the Autons. The Brig eventually realizes that this is in fact THE Doctor, and altough he can't account for his change of appearance, he decides to ask the Doctor to help him in UNIT. The Doctor agrees, and the new chapter begins.
The UNIT Years, as the Pertwee Era is often referred as, is my favorite. I love Pertwee, the Brig, and eventually Jo and the Master. The whole style just works for me. Of the classic series, I must say Troughton comes second for me, but Pertwee reigns supreme.
NEXT TIME: Another Classic Who Villain is Created
Comments
Post a Comment