Story: The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve
Written By: John Lucarotti & Donald Tosh
Length: 4 Episodes
Year: 1966
The TARDIS lands in France 1572, in the midst of a religious war between the Protestants and Catholics. Steven gets a lot to do, and the Doctor seems rather absent for most of the story. Hartnell is not absent though, as he is playing another character the Abbot of Amboise. The story is decent, and proves that Steven is a really good character, and well rounded. He develops a thing for Anne Chaplet, and in the end when the Doctor and Steven escape France as the massacre begins, Steven loses his cool.
The penultimate scene in which Steven confronts the Doctor over his ability to interfere in some events, and not others...save some people and leave some to die. Anne is on his mind here, and he tells the Doctor that no matter where they land next, he's out. He makes good on his promise for a moment too. He leaves in 1966.
The Doctor reflects for a moment on his sudden loneliness, and those who have come and left him since the shows beginning. But then a young girl runs into the TARDIS, Dodo (who will ultimately become one of the shows most useless companions) and Steven returns to warn the Doctor of a policemen heading for the TARDIS, the ship takes off with Dodo and Steven still inside.
I think that The Massacre is a decent historical, and could have been better without Dodo being slapped on in the last 2 seconds...she was meant to suggest that Anne may have survived, as she shared the same last name, but her existence feels forced and doesn't flow very well with the rest of the story. Also Steven returning at the last minute doesn't really gel with the preceding scene. While i'm pleased that he is still there, it sort of cheapens that good scene.
NEXT TIME: Finally a Complete Season 3 Story
Written By: John Lucarotti & Donald Tosh
Length: 4 Episodes
Year: 1966
The TARDIS lands in France 1572, in the midst of a religious war between the Protestants and Catholics. Steven gets a lot to do, and the Doctor seems rather absent for most of the story. Hartnell is not absent though, as he is playing another character the Abbot of Amboise. The story is decent, and proves that Steven is a really good character, and well rounded. He develops a thing for Anne Chaplet, and in the end when the Doctor and Steven escape France as the massacre begins, Steven loses his cool.
The Doctor reflects for a moment on his sudden loneliness, and those who have come and left him since the shows beginning. But then a young girl runs into the TARDIS, Dodo (who will ultimately become one of the shows most useless companions) and Steven returns to warn the Doctor of a policemen heading for the TARDIS, the ship takes off with Dodo and Steven still inside.
I think that The Massacre is a decent historical, and could have been better without Dodo being slapped on in the last 2 seconds...she was meant to suggest that Anne may have survived, as she shared the same last name, but her existence feels forced and doesn't flow very well with the rest of the story. Also Steven returning at the last minute doesn't really gel with the preceding scene. While i'm pleased that he is still there, it sort of cheapens that good scene.
NEXT TIME: Finally a Complete Season 3 Story
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