Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 8 "The Daleks Master Plan"

My Kingdom for a Master Plan
The episode - "The Dalek Master Plan" is unique in many regards. For one, it's the longest story in Doctor Who history. Set in the year 4000, the Daleks have called together various rulers of different galaxies to form one giant alliance. Of course this is another first, as the Daleks have always worked alone in the past.




Another interesting tidbit, several weeks before this story aired, there was a single cutaway episode of Doctor Who featuring only the Daleks, broadcast as a teaser for this story. As the story unfolds, Mavic Chen - guardian of the Solar System has betrayed Earth and provides the Daleks the ultra-rare element taranium needed to power their Time Destructor.



Arriving on the planet Kembel, the Doctor, Steven & Katarina befriend Bret Vyon and the group learn what the Daleks are up to. Attempting to make it back to Earth, tragedy strikes when Katarina is ejected into space. This is another unique aspect of this story, never before had a companion of the Doctor died while travelling with him.



Bret Vyon was also unique in that he was played by Nicholas Courtney, who later went on to play Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. A character in Doctor Who history who has worked with almost every Doctor. Bret didn't last long in the story however, as he was killed by Sara Kingdom. Sara is a security agent who was tricked by Mavic Chen into believing Bret (her brother) was a traitor.

The Doctor convinces Sara she was duped and she makes it her personal goal to make sure Mavic Chen and the Daleks are stopped. Along the way, they run into the Meddling Monk. He has fixed his Tardis and is now pursuing the Doctor. Despite all the odds the Doctor is able to thwart the Monk, defeat the Daleks and destroy the Time Destructor. However, Sara Kingdom dies, devastated by the effects of the Time Destructor.

WHO: Katarina
DEPARTURE LOCATION: Above the planet Desperus, 4000 A.D.
REASON FOR LEAVING: Sacrificed herself to save the Doctor, Steven & Bret Vyon.







WHO: Sarah Kingdom
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, 4000 A.D.
REASON FOR JOINING: Sides with the Doctor when she realizes Mavic Chen is the traitor she's looking for.

DEPARTURE LOCATION: Kembel, 4000 A.D.
REASON FOR LEAVING: Sara's body is destroyed by the effects of the time destructor.


NEXT: The Dodo Bird Massacre

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 7 "The Myth Makers"

Katarina, A Mythical Companion?
It's a sad fact that many of the earliest stories of Doctor Who have missing episodes. In some cases, the entire story has been lost. This is the case with the Myth Makers. Set during the Trojan war, the Tardis lands during a fight between Hector and Achilles. The Doctor decides to step outside thinking it to be safe, as 'they are doing more talking than fighting'.


The Doctor is immediately hailed as Zeus and taken back to the Greek camp where he must prove he is Zeus. He is given two days to come up with a plan to overtake Troy. Meanwhile the Trojans capture the Tardis, along with Vicki and Steven. When coming out of the Tardis, Vicki is thought of as a prophetess named Cressida and meets the Trojan Troilus.

The Doctor convinces the Greeks the best way to defeat the Trojans is to build a large wooden horse, hide inside, wait for the Trojans to take it inside their city, then come out at night and attack. So the Doctor rewrites history slightly, I won't say anything if you won't. The plan works and Steven and Vicki are able to make it out of the city along with a young girl named Katarina. Vicki has decided to stay behind with Troilus, whom she has fallen in love with.

Considering this is Katarina's first episode, it would have been nice to have more than a few pictures available. However, the Beeb in it's infinite wisdom, at one time decided to clear space by tossing older TV shows into 'the fire'. Dr. Who lost many stories this way and as a result no complete story featuring Katarina is in existence. In fact only one 24 minute episode is known to have survived. But Katarina WAS a companion, it's no myth.

WHO: Vicki
DEPARTURE LOCATION: Earth, circa 1200 B.C.
REASON FOR LEAVING: Vicki falls in love with the Trojan man - Troilus









WHO: Katarina
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, circa 1200 B.C.
REASON FOR JOINING: With no family and her home Troy in ruins, she is rescued by Steve and the Doctor. However, she believes she is dead and travelling through the beyond.





NEXT: My Kingdom for a Masterplan

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 6 "The Time Meddler"

Meddling With Time
With Barbara and Ian gone, the Doctor and Vicki reflect on how they will be missed. However, a noise is heard from the living quarters and they discover Steven Taylor had stumbled onto the Tardis before it last took off. He's told he stumbled into a time machine but refuses to believe so. Once landing, they split up to decipher where and when they have landed. The Doctor is first to run into one of the locals.

Instructed to wait for the Doctor, Steven and Vicki get impatient and begin to explore. Vicki accepts they are in 1066, but Steven still doesn't believe it. The concept is even more difficult to accept when he finds a wrist watch. Vicki wonders if the Doctor dropped it, but doesn't remember him wearing one. It's not long before they are also captured by the locals.

The locals (Saxons) turn out to be friendlier than thought. They release Steven and Vicki and are told the Doctor was also released and heading for the local monastery. The Doctor discovered the Monk is more than he appears; owning a gramophone and toaster. However the Monk isn't truly evil, he simply loves meddling with time. When an injured local (Eldred) is brought to him, the Monk helps with the aid of modern medicine. It seems the Monk felt Eldred must live.

Though quickly captured by the Monk, the Doctor escapes via a secret passage he finds. Vicki and Steven break into the monastery and discover the cell the Doctor was captive in and also the secret passage. The Doctor however returns to the monasteries front entrance and tricks the Monk into letting him inside and revealing his plans.

It's revealed the Monk is from the same planet as the Doctor (they have yet to be called Time Lords). Knowing who the mysterious Monk is, The Doctor devises a way to stop him from tampering with time. He steals the 'dimensional control' from his Tardis, making it impossible for the Monk to re-enter his Tardis. Plans thwarted, escape impossible, the Monk swears vengeance on the Doctor.

WHO: Meddling Monk
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Gallifrey (Though not called by name in this episode).
GOALS: To Meddle with time, possibly to enhance humans fast enough Shakespeare will be able to broadcast Hamlet on the television.
WEAKNESSES: Having his 'Dimensional Control' stolen.



NEXT: Katarina - A Mythical Companion?

Time Travel Museum

November 5th, 1955 is supposedly the date time travel was invented. And yet scientists have recently discovered time travel has been with us and will be for a long time. These time travel devices come in many shapes and sizes and even their special abilities differ. Below are a few of my favourite portable and semi-portable machines. Each currently residing in the forth-coming - Time Travel Museum

Name: Time Machine
History: To discover how mankind will evolve, George creates a time machine. Based on the book by H.G.Wells.
Ease of Use: High - Move lever forward to go forward in time and backward to go backwards.
Special Features: Can watch the passage of time as you travel.
First Appearance: The Time Machine, written by H.G. Wells 1895
Quote: "If that machine can do what you say it can do, destroy it, George! Destroy it before it destroys you!" - Filby

Name: Time Bubble
History: Used in the distant future (31st century) by a Legion of Super Heroes to travel back and forth to the 21st century (and other eras).
Ease of Use: Average - Apparently can be used with just a little technical training.
Special Features: Travels in space as well as time.
First Appearance: Adventure Comics #247 - April 1958
Quote: "Wait.. Wasn't the time bubble on THAT side of the room?" - Saturn Girl

Name:Tardis
History: Used by the renegade Time Lord known only as "The Doctor"
Ease of Use: Difficult - Even the Doctor has problems steering the Tardis.
Special Features: Can travel in space as well as time. The inside is vastly bigger than the outside.
First Appearance: BBC Television - November 23, 1963
Quote: "It's bigger on the inside than on the outside." - Almost every companion of the Doctor.

Name: Omni
History: When history goes wrong, it's Phineas Boggs job to correct things.
Ease of Use: High - Simply set the location and time and press a button.
Special Features: Indicates when history is wrong, and when it has been corrected. Travels in location as well as time.
First Appearance: Voyagers TV series - 1982
Quote: "We travel through time, to help history along, give it a push where it's needed." - Phineas Bogg

Name: Flying Delorean
History: Created by Doctor Brown to keep tabs on the progress of man.
Ease of Use: Average difficulty, knowledge of setting clocks and ability to drive a car.
Special Features: Equipped with a hover-conversion and fueled by garbage.
First Appearance: Back to the Future - Summer 1985
Quote: "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" - Doctor Brown

Name: Phone Booth Time Machine
History: Used by Bill and Ted to acquire personages from history to help them pass their history final exam.
Ease of Use: Above Average. Can be used by a couple of nit-wits.
Special Features: Can be used for magic tricks. Also travels in location as well as time.
First Appearance: Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Summer - 1989
Quote: "Gentlemen... we're history." - Rufus







Name: Uncle Rico's Time Machine
History: Purchased by Uncle Rico from the Internet
Ease of Use: Impossible. Has yet to function properly.
Special Features: Destroys your ability to have children.
First Appearance: Napoleon Dynamite - 2004
Quote: "It's a piece of crap, it doesn't work!" - Napoleon Dynamite




So which is your favourite time machine and why? These and many others can be found in the Time Travel Museum - Brynbala Way; Cardiff, Wales
Write in for more details.

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 5 "The Chase"

The Daleks Give Chase
It seems in the early episodes, any time something major happened, the Daleks were involved. The Tardis crew had several adventures together before another shake-up in the cast. It started when Barbara discovers the Daleks now have time travel technology and are hunting the Tardis crew for their past 'crimes'. The Doctor is quick to respond but Ian and Vicki have already gone off to explore the sand dunes of the planet Aridius they just landed on.

Ian and Vicki are promptly captured by the locals but quickly rescued by the Doctor. They quickly head off-planet to find a better place to fight the Daleks. The Tardis lands in various places such as an old amusement park, the Mary Celeste (the Daleks frighten all passengers overboard), and the Empire State Building. In one of the oddest moments, the hick Morton Dill is spared by a Dalek who is more bent on extermination the Tardis crew and essentially ignores the ignorant yokel.

While the Tardis crew are scrambling to get away from the Daleks at the amusement park, they are separated and the Doctor takes off mistakenly thinking Vicki is on board. Vicki's only option is to run inside the Dalek ship in hopes of catching up with her friends the next time the Daleks land. While in the Dalek ship, Vicki discovers the Daleks are capable of creating realistic robotic copies of people.

Finally, the Tardis lands on the planet Mechanus and the trio decide it's a good place to make a stand against the Daleks. However it isn't long before they are captured by the planets dominate life form, the Mechanoids. The Mechanoids are robots sent to the planet years before to make it habitable for humans. The group are reunited with Vicki and meet Steven Taylor. When producing the show, it was hoped the Mechanoids would become as popular as the Daleks; it never happened.

The Daleks and the Mechanoids don't exactly get along and a war is started between the two groups. With the Daleks and the Mehcanoids kept busy, the Tardis crew make their escape followed by Steven. Having captured the Daleks functioning time machine, Ian and Barbara bid farewell to the Doctor to head back home. Ironically, the Doctor seems more upset with them deciding to leave than when Susan left.

WHO: Steven Taylor

PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth's future, though found on the planet Mechanus. 23rd Century

REASON FOR JOINING: Rescued by the Doctor and stows away on the Tardis.





WHO: Ian & Barbara

DEPARTURE LOCATION: Earth, circa 1965 (What's two years among friends)?

REASON FOR DEPARTURE: Took advantage of the Daleks time machine which was able to return them home.




NEXT: Meddling with Time

Time Travellers are Real!

Time travellers are real! Or are they?
Have you seen the puzzling video of what looks like a woman talking on a mobile phone? Is there any possible explanation for this? If she is a time traveller who is she talking to and how are they receiving service? Or you might assume she's simply singing along to a transistor radio. But on the other side of the coin, if a person has time travel technology, certainly they've built a better phone. Perhaps one that can place calls from anywhere in time? Also, it's not possible she's listening to a transistor radio as this film clip is from 1928 and transistor radios didn't make an appearance till the late 40's or early 50s'. The only possible way for her to be doing so was to pick one up from the future, which would mean she's a time traveller, which means she could just as easily be talking on a phone. So is this real documented proof time travel exists? Watch the video below and tell me your thoughts.

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 4 "The Rescue"

The Doctor To the Rescue
There's never been any real, official clarification how long the Doctor may have travelled with Susan. Being his grand-daughter, its possible they travelled together for many years before settling on Earth. The Doctor locked Susan out of the Tardis in hopes of helping her 'grow up'. It may have seemed like a cold, tactless thing to do, but he truly missed her once she was gone. This was clearly seen after the Tardis lands and he absent-mindedly instructed Susan to open the doors. He paused in reflection for a moment when Barbara suggested he show her how to operate the doors.

With Carole Ann Ford having left, a replacement was needed. The series was to continue for another season so Maureen O'Brien (Vicki) was selected as the replacement. On the planet Dido, the year is 2493 and Vicki is one of two survivors of a crashed rocket from Earth. They are both terrorized by a mysterious being known as Koquillion who claims to be the reason they are still alive, and deserves their respect.

Relations between Vicki and the Tardis crew are strained when Barbara kills Vicki's pet 'Sandy', one of the native Sand Beasts. Despite starting the series as a cranky, self-absorbed personage the Doctor shows his softer side by reassuring Vicki they are there to help. It seems the departure of Susan has mellowed the Doctor, as well as his continued travels with Barbara and Susan.

Turns out the Doctor is rescuing Vicki from more than just a crashed rocket. Koquillion is actually Bennett (the other survivor) in disguise and murdered all crew members from the crash. Bennett however, underestimates the Doctor and is killed by his own stupidity. Vicki is brought aboard the Tardis and she marvels at how 'it's bigger on the inside'.


WHO: Vicki

PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, circa 2493 - though found on Dido.

REASON FOR JOINING: Rescued from a crash landing and murderer.






Next: The Daleks Give Chase

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 3 "The Dalek Invasion of Earth"

Our Dearly Departed
A year later, the Tardis crew have their second encounter with the Daleks. This time it's in Earth's future - 2164. Just as historical episodes were to teach kids history, stories set in the future were to teach science. In this episode the Daleks have conquered the Earth and London is decimated. Those who survived are used as slave labour. Already the Daleks have overcome their dependency on static electricity.

It was at this point that actress Carole Ann Ford (Susan) decided she wanted to get out of the part. She initially understood her character would be much different; sharing a telepathic connection with the Doctor and being more heroic with less screaming. With the departure of Susan it was wondered if they should replace Susan, as they were unsure if Doctor Who would return. Jenny (pictured here) was scripted to replace Susan, but ultimately never cast.

During the course of the episode Susan works closely with one of the freedom fighters; David Campbell. She asks him to come with her when she leaves but he refuses saying he wouldn't leave his planet. Susan realizes she misses not having a place, a time or an identity. The opportunity to help rebuild Earths civilization entices Susan as well as she falls in love with David.

The Doctor might seem like a feeble old man, but he's no half-wit, (as he tells Ian earlier). He notices the affection she has for David, but also knows she would never leave the Doctor willingly. Giving her a hug he walks into the Tardis and takes the opportunity to give Susan a fresh start. When she is saying goodbye to David, the Doctor 'double' locks the Tardis. Tearfully, she watches the Tardis de-materialize then drops her Tardis key to the ground; walking off with David.

WHO: Susan
DEPARTURE LOCATION: Earth, 2164
REASON FOR DEPARTURE: Rebuild Earth with David Campbell









NEXT: The Doctor to the Rescue

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 2 "The Daleks"

Enter the Daleks
Sure, Doctor Who was a kids program with an ambition of teaching kids history. But the Doctor's Tardis was also a space machine, and to keep things interesting the next episode introduced the Daleks. Barbara is the first to encounter the Dalek though only the 'plunger' is seen initially, perhaps to add to the mystery of what could be so terrifying.

However, it is soon discovered the Daleks are not robots, but the mutated form of a once great civilization scared by the ravages of war. The only glimpse given of the mutated Dalek is a clawed hand coming from beneath a sheet Ian used to remove the mutant from it's casing. Perhaps not frightening by today's standards, in 1963 the Dalek became an overnight success.

The plot for the rest of the episode is used many times over in various episodes. The Doctor and Tardis crew are captured, they manage an escape but soon one or all are promptly captured yet again. Wash, rinse and repeat for several episodes. A rescue attempt is always mounted, usually with the aid of someone. In this case the Thals, the other sentient race on the planet.

Don't worry if you haven't heard of the Thals. They aren't seen again but once more, except maybe mentioned in passing. The Thals turned out much different than the Daleks. Instead of angry, hateful, war-mongering blobs, they have turned to peace and refuse to help the Tardis crew till Ian reminds them there are things worth fighting for. In this case a woman, what else?

Perhaps another cliché started is thinking they have destroyed the Daleks, for good. Of course this is used many, many times on all the various aliens the Doctor comes to encounter. As you might have guessed, it really comes down to how popular the particular BEM turns out to be. As mentioned above, the Daleks were a success and would return to torment the Doctor again and again.

WHO: The Daleks
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Skaro
GOALS: To exterminate all life in the galaxy that isn't a Dalek.
WEAKNESSES: Initially, stairs and a dependency on static electricity.







Next: Our dearly departed

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 1 "An Unearthly Child"

In the Beginning
Today's Doctor Who is certainly unlike the series when it originally began. Generally, the episodes were more focused on history. This 'kids' program had hopes of teaching children more about history through a fun and unique format.

Through this series of articles I hope to explore the changes in Doctor Who over the years. From the original cast, up to Matt Smith and beyond. Who are the characters you might need to know, where do they come from, and what are their intentions?

The series began on November 23 1963, just one day after the assassination of President Kennedy. See? You're learning about history already. The first story, "An Unearthly Child" introduces the main cast. Susan Foreman, a student at Cole Hill School and her two teachers Ian & Barbara. Both teachers find Susan to be a particularly odd student and follow her home.

Susan's home at 76 Totters Lane turns out to be a junk yard. They follow Susan into a building, but she has disappeared. This is when the two run into the Doctor. The Doctor is a cranky older gentleman who claims to have no knowledge of Susan. Suddenly Susan can be heard coming from inside a London Police Call Box. Ian forces his way in and discovers the Police Box is much bigger inside than outside. Angered by their intrusion into his 'ship', the Doctor sets the machine in motion explaining to Susan he can't release Ian & Barbara when they now have knowledge of his TARDIS. Susan explains the name TARDIS means Time & Relative Dimension In Space. The Tardis land on prehistoric Earth and the group get involved in two warring factions of cavemen looking for the secret of fire. The Doctor and his companions manage to escape by all working together. Ian and Barbara beg the Doctor to take them back home but he admits he can't fully control where the Tardis goes.


WHO: the Doctor
*"The Doctor" is more a title than a name. His true name has never been revealed. Sometimes uses John Smith.
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Gallifrey
*It isn't revealed till years later he is a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey.
REASON FOR JOINING: Stole the Tardis to run away from the Time-Lords,


WHO: Susan (Foreman)
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Presumably Gallifrey
REASON FOR JOINING: Doctors grand-daughter.
*Going off the television show itself, its not very apparent why she left Gallifrey with her Grand-Father. Theories range from the death of her parents, to civil strife at home.




WHO: Ian Chesterton
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, circa 1963
OCCUPATION: Science Teacher
REASON FOR JOINING: Kidnapped by the Doctor.








WHO: Barbara Wright
PLANET OF ORIGIN: Earth, circa 1963
OCCUPATION: History Teacher
REASON FOR JOINING: Kidnapped by the Doctor.









Next: Enter the Daleks