STACK #219 January 2023

TV FEATURE

visit jbhifi.com.au/stack

EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES In Conversation with William Russell and Maureen O’Brien Flight Through Eternity – a documentary on Doctor Who ’s early years Collectibles – a documentary on the explosion of Doctor Who merchandise during the 1960s New episodes of Behind the Sofa The Crusade – missing episodes two and four reconstructed using original broadcast audio and still photographs

Sixties’ DoctorWho receives a welcome HD upgrade with the show’s complete second season, featuring the first Doctor,William Hartnell, joining the range of classic collections on Blu-ray. Words Scott Hocking O riginally broadcast in 1964–1965, not only is this the first Collection to feature William Hartnell’s Doctor, it’s also the first season of black and white Doctor Who to be remastered for Blu-ray release. A FINE VINTAGE

• Doctor Who: Season Two – The Collection is available on Jan 25 in a limited edition, while stocks last

The Rescue , a brief two-parter with a twist, introduces new companion Vicki (Maureen O’Brien), who is rescued from a crashed Earth spacecraft and the clutches of a spiny alien called Koquillion. The first of two purely historical stories, The Romans is a light-hearted romp set in 64 AD that sees the Doctor meet Emperor Nero, and trades historical accuracy for entertainment value. Next up is one of the most ambitious stories of the season, The Web Planet . A six-part adventure set on an alien world populated by insect races under threat from a malevolent alien intelligence, it’s a good example of Who ’s quality writing compensating for production budget limitations. Then it’s on to 12th century Earth for the cracking historical adventure The Crusade , an atmospheric costume drama that sees the Doctor and co. meet King Richard the Lionheart (played by the great Julian Glover). The time travellers get a glimpse into their future and must prevent themselves from becoming exhibits in The Space Museum , before fleeing through time and space with the Daleks in hot pursuit in the episodic adventure The Chase . The latter story bids farewell to Ian and Barbara, and introduces new companion Steven (Peter Purves, of Blue Peter fame). Season two wraps up with The Time Meddler , another diverting historical story that features the first appearance of another member of the Doctor’s race (who we now know as Time Lords) – a meddling monk who’s attempting to change Earth’s history during the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Ultimately the 39 episodes of Season Two nicely balance sci-fi adventures and educational historical stories, representing a wonderful time capsule of vintage Doctor Who at its finest.

Season two saw a major shake-up in the regular cast with the departure of the three original companions Ian (William Russell), Barbara (Jacqueline Hill), and Susan (Carole Ann Ford), as well as behind the scenes with script editor David Whitaker handing the reins to Dennis Spooner. And with Britain in the grip of ‘Dalekmania’, a wave of Doctor Who merchandise materialised in retail stores. The season begins with the three-part adventure Planet of the Giants , which sees the TARDIS crew fall victim to a popular sci-fi trope – miniaturisation. The diminutive Doctor and his companions must navigate oversized sets and threats in an attempt to prevent the release of a lethal insecticide. Following their phenomenal

Moreover, this is one of the most complete seasons of early Who , with only two episodes still missing from the BBC archives – part two and four of The Crusade , which have been specially reconstructed for this release using the original broadcast soundtracks and still photographs. This nine-disc set is also the biggest collection release to date, with 39 episodes across nine stories, ranging from historical adventures to Dalek epics.

debut in the second story of season one, the Daleks return in the classic six-parter The Dalek Invasion of Earth , which was later adapted for the big screen as Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (1966), starring Peter Cushing as the Doctor. It’s also notable for the very first departure of a companion, with the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan remaining on Earth after finding love with a resistance fighter.

TheWeb Planet

Doctor Who images © BBC

14 JANUARY 2023

jbhifi.com.au