First Doctor Stories RANKED!
We take these innocent William Hartnell stories and viciously judge them.
William Hartnell is a fantastic Doctor. There’s no “but…” following that statement. He is gloriously good. And it really does take either watching his stories in order, or being really precise in your picks to really see that.
You see, Doctor Who Fandom, indescribable Animus blob that it is, has a skewered view of Hartnell. He’s a proto-Doctor before Patrick Troughton came and redefined the role. He’s seen as a vicious, grumpy character as opposed to a magical force for good: A caricature for which there is plenty of evidence within the show.
There’s a few reasons for this view. Largely, though, it established itself early and has struggled to shake itself loose. In 1981, the BBC repeated a William Hartnell story as part of ‘The Five Faces of Doctor Who’ repeat season. And, the most obvious four-parter in the archives was An Unearthly Child. And in that, Hartnell’s Doctor is an incredibly antagonistic, unpleasant character who a) kidnaps people, and b) tries to smash people’s skulls in. Doctor Who fans would not get a chance to see William Hartnell’s Doctor in action again until 1989. This was the first time a William Hartnell story was released on VHS. The story was The Daleks. And in that, Hartnell’s Doctor is an incredibly antagonistic, unpleasant character who a) sabotages the TARDIS, and b) only saves the Thals with ulterior motives.
At this time, in the late 1980s, Target Books were changing. Target sold novelisations of Doctor Who stories from 1974 and essentially worked as the commercially available version of numerous Doctor Who stories, in some ways being the definitive version over the immense unreleased archive of the actual television show. During the 1980s though, as its key audiences evolved from being young readers enjoying books with Tom Baker’s face on the cover and became trivia-remembering Doctor Who fans, the novelisations were engineered to a more collector’s market. Part of this change meant a completism in going through Doctor Who’s back catalogue and novelising stories that hadn’t been novelised yet. And, that was a hefty chunk of First Doctor stories: First Doctor stories where the Doctor wasn’t an antagonistic, unpleasant character. But these novels came out to late to really impact young readers in the way the Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker books did.
So, all the evidence pointed to the Hartnell Doctor being a grumpy Doctor. The situation was not helped by confusion between the character and the actor: Verity Lambert, William Russell, Maureen O’Brien, Peter Purves, John Wiles, Innes Lloyd, Anneke Wills and others all had stories about Hartnell’s impatience and moodiness.
Also, the archives: Due to the missing episodes, there’s a lot of First Doctor stories that are not available for viewing. While there’s more than Troughton, there’s a lack of late Hartnell. We lose stories like The Savages which is all about the Doctor’s goodness. We lose stories like The Smugglers that place Ben and Polly in the Doctor’s old role of wanting to leave and the Doctor tells them no, they’re not going to the TARDIS as they have “a moral obligation.” Even stories we do have, like The Gunfighters, have their reputations tarnished that Hartnell’s lighter side and comedic turns get buried under the weight of misconceptions. And of course, The War Machines and The Tenth Planet are hardly standard First Doctor stories.
But ignore the dead hand of the Beginning Boxset: Watch them anew. See The Aztecs: the Doctor’s love for Cameca, empathy for Barbara. The Sensorites: saving a society with no ulterior motive and having fun while he does it. The Reign of Terror with its roadworks scene and the Doctor’s confrontation with Robespierre. His determination in Planet of Giants and The Dalek Invasion of Earth. His mentorship of Vicki in The Rescue and The Romans. His curiosity in The Space Museum and The Time Meddler. His broken heart in The Chase and The Daleks’ Master Plan. His uneasy pacifism in The Myth Makers and The Gunfighters. And that twinkle that we see in the last scene of The Edge of Destruction that continues throughout his run.
So there is no “but…” to go after saying “William Hartnell is a fantastic Doctor.” Because he is. And the end of The Tenth Planet isn’t the exciting first regeneration; it’s the frightening mystery of what has happened to the Doctor. Because we’ve lost the Hartnell Doctor: with his mood swings, his twinkles, his laugh, and his little canine fang when he’s righteous.
Here we are then, reflecting on his time. Judging his stories: condemning some, recommending most. You might even agree with me, but I hope you don’t. I would love it if one of these stories gets defended and forces a re-evaluation. Because if the First Doctor tells us anything, it’s that there’s a need for re-evaluation.
The stories are organised into six categories: Bottom-Rung, Bad, Average, Good, Great and Perfect, each being titled with a First Doctor quotation. Within their category, they appear in order of broadcast.
“The children of my civilisation would be insulted!”
The Bottom-Rung Stories
Galaxy 4 (1965)
The first time Doctor Who is written for children in a way that assumes children are stupid. It’s only got one idea: That the Rills are nice despite being ugly, and that the Drahvins are evil despite being beautiful. That wears rapidly thin over four episodes.
The Celestial Toymaker (1966)
If this was as long as The Chase, it would be vilified. If this was as long as Marco Polo, it would become the butt of the jokes. Really, this could be as long as The Edge of Destruction for all it matters. It has a remarkably effective first 15 minutes and an exciting final 5 minutes. The rest is an exercise in treading water. Not to mention, the tedious racism.
“This old ship of mine seems to be an aimless thing.”
The Bad Stories
The Space Museum (1965)
I’m tempted to move it up, purely for the spectacular first episode. Still, the last three episodes are standard rebels versus tyrants escapades. The sense that the director and the actors don’t know what the writing’s doing is palpable.
The Smugglers (1966)
Purely functional, disposable Doctor Who. It’s well-done in parts, for instance the amazing location filming. But never before has there been a supporting cast not worth the Doctor’s time. At least the Aridians only lasted one episode. We’ll love the conversation between the Doctor and Captain Pike when its found, I’m sure. Overall, though, four episodes that were made because something had to be.
“I can’t decide if you’re a rogue, a halfwit — or both!”
The Average Stories
The Keys of Marinus (1964)
I was 8 years old when I first saw this, dammit! Back then, it was one episode a day. Now, with it all on DVD, and being more critical, it’s telling that it’s padded and pushing the budget. The whole concept of the Doctor working to help a machine that brainwashes people is ethically dissonant. Still, “The Velvet Web” is magnificent for the first attempt to do a Doctor Who story in 25 minutes and Hartnell shines at getting to play a defence lawyer and detective near the end. There’s menace. There’s imagination. There’s something good here even if it it’s not sustainable.
The Reign of Terror (1964)
A marvellous first episode. Quickly loses steam and confidence: It can’t afford to do too many exciting Scarlet Pimpernel rescues, and it can’t show anyone being executed by guillotine. Still, it gives Hartnell some comic set pieces as the show finally understands what its lead actor can do, and that light complements the dark.
The Crusade (1965)
I really want to love this but after a few good moments, it collapses from not knowing what to do next, especially with its King Richard plot. Some marvellous acting, though.
The Chase (1965)
How do you make The Keys of Marinus better? Add Daleks! Some inelegance in execution but it works more than you might think. And the last scene has me in tears.
Mission to the Unknown (1965)
The Daleks having a meeting is surprisingly interesting. The Doctor and friends aren’t missed, either. The SSS and the Varga plant is hard to judge.
“Now let’s get out there and be crafty!”
The Good Stories
An Unearthly Child (1963)
I like to consider the first episode and the cavemen business two separate adventures. But they’re not, so this is the combination of both. And actually, it works. The image of skulls on fire is scary, the desperation feels real, and the cavemen are poetic speakers (just played as savages). The technology parallels between fire and the TARDIS are there making it cohesive. If we can find the cavemen stuff redeemable then obviously we have to acknowledge that the opening episode is sublime.
The Edge of Destruction (1964)
Not quite the Absurdist horror chamber piece it is made out to be by retrospective reviewers. It is, however, a nice bottle episode that takes full advantage of the fault-lines within the TARDIS. The early Hartnell stories treat its main cast as characters over plot functions which really helps. Lovely to see how this burns through ideas: first, there’s someone else inside the TARDIS, afterwards one of the crew is possessed, before trying to decode the TARDIS’ message. Great speech from Hartnell, great scene with Hartnell and Hill, and by the end our show is made.
The Sensorites (1964)
I was 8 years old, dammit! Doctor Who’s first spaceship and the first culture it really delves into. And also: the first story where the Doctor can leave but doesn’t until he has finished helping. Like many other 60s stories, it works best like it was meant to: an episode a week. The plot twist in the last episode has stayed with me, crystal clear, as one of the most intelligent things I saw as a child.
Planet of Giants (1964)
You’ll be amazed more often that not, how much it works. An important episode in the evolution of the Doctor’s morality: He wants to help because it’s what Barbara wanted. The TARDIS crew’s ambition nicely aligns with the production team’s ambition.
The Web Planet (1965)
Only something the Lambert years would produce: a world devoid of any humans. Utterly strange and alien. Maybe a bit long (and a shorter recording period would have been kinder on the Zarbi costumes too). A worthwhile experiment and the cancer subtext is worth exploring.
The Time Meddler (1965)
Hilarious. Spooner finally devises a way to make the historical adventures work: include an alien presence. The Monk is delightful and Hartnell is clearly enjoying himself. A great starting point for any newcomers by being Steven’s “first” story, and a great reward for everyone dedicated for the past two years.
The Ark (1966)
As appalling as the colonial overtones are, this is an imaginative story that plays with expectations. It could potentially serve as a critique of the Doctor’s actions. However, the Monoids being stupid villains who declare their plans aloud and kill each other makes for a lacklustre ending. Let’s face it, it’s ruined by Wiles’ prejudices but would have shone under Lambert.
The Gunfighters (1966)
It’s funny. Hartnell is great. The sets are great. Watched as a 90 minute movie, the song grates. Watched as it was meant to be — as a weekly serial — it’s a fun experiment with occasional moments of depth. However, a gunfight is not the place for the Doctor’s character. (See, if there were aliens, then he could act as a participant in the alien plotline instead of being a bystander in the history subplot). Proves the limitations of the historical stories but not because it’s bad: It’s hilarious. It just doesn’t know how to fit in the Doctor.
The Savages (1966)
Has a simple moral like Galaxy 4 (and its moral is the opposite of The Ark, funnily enough). Except, this has enough ideas and imagination to produce an interesting four-parter. The Doctor here is caring, clever and delights in the destruction of evil. Just as the Elders distil “life-force”, this distils Doctor Who’s moral philosophy. Margaret Thatcher once held up a copy of The Constitution of Liberty at a Conservative Party meeting and said “This is what we believe.” And every decent person should have thrown The Savages at her and said “Beat this.”
The War Machines (1966)
The Sixties hit Doctor Who. Hartnell struggles with playing a character that he wasn’t cast for, but there is something about Doctor Who and the contemporary world that sizzles… even now when that contemporary world is sixty years ago. Plus, that episode three cliff-hanger! Still, a rubbish farewell for Dodo. The show will get there; it just hasn’t yet.
The Tenth Planet (1966)
As a regeneration story, it’s rubbish. Luckily, it isn’t a regeneration story. These Cybermen monsters are an interesting concept and this near-future business is an engaging trick for the audience. Something can come from this, if only we can excavate it from the continuity fandom has piled onto this story.
“My dear child! Haven’t you realised what I’ve done? A few simple tools, a superior brain…”
The Great Stories
The Daleks (1963–64)
The first three episodes are great. Suspenseful, atmospheric. There’s a real sense of dread overhanging events as our heroes are kept prisoners by monsters and dying of radiation poisoning. The last four episodes don’t quite ruin the spell although it is telling how the Peter Cushing film gets through all of this section in about half the time.
The Daleks’ Master Plan (1965–66)
Exciting and dramatic. The stakes are really high and every action of our heroes screams of desperation. The episodes with the Monk are some needed light relief. The dull Egyptians do distract, though. Surely, there’s something more interesting to do then have the Doctor stroll around a pyramid construction site (Mavic Chen vs Cleopatra? No?). Nevertheless, it does deserve its epic status.
The Massacre of St Bartholomew’s Eve (1966)
It works precisely because it’s an obscure event in history and that it doesn’t have an overall title giving the game away. A “lost” classic. (Although, I can’t work out if I prefer this or the very different novelisation).
“Sheer poetry, my boy!”
The Perfect Stories
Marco Polo (1964)
A story regarded as a ‘lost’ classic. If it’s ever discovered, people will start to dismantle its reputation. But really, why would you? It puts Marco Polo’s wanderings and desire to go home in parallel with the TARDIS crew’s. Problems are resolved using wits and the friends the crew has made. Far from being a strange historical artefact in the early days of the show, this is its philosophy executed to a tee.
The Aztecs (1964)
By splitting the four main characters up and having them each explore a section of Aztec society, we not only feel like we learn about the Aztecs but our heroes, as their subplots interfere and crossover. While the cast size and simple sets never quite brandish the scale, it shows what good writing and good acting can do: two special effects Doctor Who has always needed and that never age.
The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964)
Obviously not without its flaws (the Slyther, the crocodiles) but a massive door being opened for the series. The location shooting makes the show feel larger. The small little tales along the way have some emotional heft to them. The final speech. It’s not just the return of the Daleks: There’s some proper story-telling here.
The Rescue (1965)
Short, swift and sublime. Koquillion is the first clear reversal of tropes. Vicki works much better than Susan. Hartnell is brilliant throughout.
The Romans (1965)
Picks up from the ideas of The Reign of Terror and makes them better. No cowardice about historical figures. Instead, Nero fancies Barbara and has a bath with the Doctor. Ian gets his Ben-Hur adventure while Vicki goes sight-seeing to Rome and almost accidentally poisons the Emperor. Tonally, it knows what it’s trying to achieve. It’s not the future: The trick can’t be repeated without clear copying, but if that’s a problem, you may as well hate snowflakes too.
The Myth Makers (1965)
The first three episodes are hilarious. The fourth episode is a sucker-punch that you feel right in your guts even through a reconstruction.
