Bluffer’s Guide to Doctor Who: The Sensorites (Eps. 31–36)
Describe The Sensorites in six words or less:
Maoists need to have plumbing checked.
This is… the one… Actually, here’s my hot take. This story is often thought of as slow and dull. And it kinda is. But when watched in weekly instalments it come across differently. I mean, it’s not any faster but it’s not just six episodes of the same thing. So…
For Episodes 1 and 2: This is the one where it’s Alien but they’re nice.
For Episode 3–6: This is the one were alternative facts gets people killed.
Original broadcast: 20 June — 1 August, 1964
Why was this made?: Peter R. Newman’s only script for Doctor Who came about after Newman tried moving into television after a successful but fraught career at Hammer Studios. The Sensorites was written to give Carole Ann Ford’s Susan a more central role in the story as Ford was becoming frustrated by her character. It was also written to give Jacqueline Hill her two-week break meaning that Barbara does not appear in Episodes 4 and 5.
There was also a changeover of directors during production. Mervyn Pinfield took Episodes 1–4 while Frank Cox, who had previously directed The Edge of Destruction, took Episodes 5 and 6.
Pinfield was a BBC “boffin”, having created a type of teleprompter. He was given directorial duties here as it was felt he could add technical expertise to Doctor Who’s first spaceship story.
What Happens:
The TARDIS lands on board a spaceship: The crew are caught in orbit of the Sense-Sphere, unable to leave.
The Sensorites board the ship, attracted by Susan’s telepathic abilities. The travellers are taken to the Sense-Sphere whereupon they discover a plague that works seemingly at random.
Deducing that the water is poisoned, the Doctor creates an antidote. However, the City Administrator distrusts the travellers and attempts to thwart their attempts to help.
The Doctor and Ian discover that in the aqueduct, a small group of humans from an earlier expedition are hiding. They have been poisoning the water. They are removed and the issues on the Sense-Sphere are resolved. The rocket is allowed to leave orbit.
Observations / Things to Say:
- Time-travellers reflect on how they’ve changed over their journeys, fondly remembering their past misadventures (Hey, Ian! Remember when you killed someone?) Susan asks if she’s changed. ‘of course,” says Barbara to which Susan smiles. I wouldn’t if I were you, Susan. You were interesting 29 episodes ago.
- Susan’s rebelling and being sympathetic to the Sensorites as are we. But undermining her makes the Doctor dull and ignorant, and Susan pathetic. Get on with the story! Snivelling Susan is bad Susan.
- Susan’s much better once she’s on the Sense-Sphere. When she’s describing her home planet: “Sky is burnt orange, leaves are bright silver” it’s the same dialogue that David Tennant will use in “Gridlock”
- “Spaceship!” Hartnell declares — It’s Doctor Who’s first spaceship. Great transition from TARDIS to spaceship. Good design, lovely use of composite sets.
- One of my favourite cliffhangers: The Sensorite at the window! And that corridor scene with Ian, Barbara and the Sensorites is spooky. So glad these episodes exist: Imagine that as three pictures and a music cue with no idea what’s going on?!
- Sensorites: First detailed alien culture: telepathic, pacifistic, isolationist, Maoist. Better than the Thals and Marinus so far. Odd though, that they don’t have names? They even signpost it but how does that work? Any female Sensorites?
- City Administrator spreading and acting on misinformation about the antidote and the poison reads differently after going through COVID. He’s not just dragging the plot out, he’s a real menace. If Sensorites had names, he’d be Karen.
- The Doctor: “Why cure something when we can stamp it out?” Here’s our hero. Curious. Righteous. (But still not a Time Lord, identifying himself as human in Ep 1, and having a singular heart in Ep 5.)
- I love that the Doctor, Ian and Susan spend two and a half episodes getting the wool pulled over their eyes and being subject to Sensorite political intrigue. Barbara arrives and gets things sorted out in half an episode. Go Barbara!
- Shame that we don’t see the City Administrator (Karen) get his comeuppance, especially as he was responsible for killing a nice Sensorite. Justice must be seen to be done.
- Argument at the end unnecessary. Why would the Doctor want to throw out Ian and Barbara? Completely ignores the last few stories. Completely ignores this story! So much for how much they’ve changed at the start.
Between You and Me
I have a soft spot for The Sensorites. I was eight years old when I first saw it and to me, the twist was ingenious. I still believe that. It’s not nostalgia! It’s good, dammit!
Notable for being the first story where the Doctor could leave but decides to stay and sort everything out. At the start, he is sharing untelevised anecdotes about Henry VIII: The time-traveller who takes his explorations seriously is showing here, beginning to replace the accidental and selfish tourist.
Further / Recommend Reading: