TV #0: The Pilot Episode

TARDIS crew; 

• First Doctor

• Susan

Notable Characters;

• Ian- Susan's science teacher 

• Barbara- Susan's history teacher

Detailed Plot;

Now although this episode isn't considered to be canonical within the Whoniverse, I thought I should watch it and review it before starting the official and broadcast version of An Unearthly Child. It's supposedly not too different from the official part one of the very first story, but there are some differences and things changed upon the broadcast. 

The opening credits hit and for 1963 they certainly were impressive. The theme is instantly recognisable and always gives me goosebumps! There was an interesting addition in the famous early theme here with a loud bang heard, it's certainly better off without that. As the credits come to a close, Doctor Who begins with a policeman on patrol. He enters a junkyard and casually strolls along on his patrol. The theme music is still playing as the policeman comes across a police box, but immediately, the box seems something more. It immediately had that feel. 

Taken from the junkyard to inside Coal Hill School, two teachers are talking together about a mysterious fifteen year old girl. Susan Foreman. She's claimed to be a genius. The teachers were Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright. Ian was a science teacher and Barbara a history teacher. I think it was a brilliant move to have these two teachers, soon to be the first companions, as people specialising in two key areas of Doctor Who itself. For the early audience, if an adventure was in the future or on a more advanced planet then Ian could try to explain things, whereas with Barbara, if the venture is in the past she would have great knowledge and explain to the viewer also. A great move and it would certainly help the early audience in the introduction of the show. 

Susan, without seeing her yet, was immediately depicted as a mysterious girl. Upon the suggestion of Barbara in specialising in history, Susan said it would be absolutely impossible to work at home. She claimed her grandfather didn't like strangers. But there seemed something more to it than that. Her address was 76 Totters Lane, but recently the girl genius' homework was of bad quality. Barbara was intrigued by Susan and the fact she couldn't work at home, so much so that she tried to pay Susan's grandfather a visit. But the address given was an old junkyard. This mysterious girl became more mysterious. 

Ian and Barbara, extremely uncharacteristically of teachers, planned on spying on their pupil! They were curious. Susan was introduced and she was seen enjoying music being played. She was alone in a classroom and Barbara had given her a book on the French Revolution to borrow. Ian offered Susan a lift home but she again shied away from any reference to where she lived. She would walk. As the teachers left, the mysterious girl blotted some ink on some paper, folded it to make it symmetrical and then drew a hexagonal alien looking piece. She realised what she had done and got rid of the artwork and crumpled it up. 

Barbara and Ian were in a car, waiting secretively outside the junkyard entrance. They'd made no mistake- 76 Totters Lane. They were again talking of Susan and made reference to her not knowing simple facts of 1963 with her not knowing how many shillings were in a pound, she figured they were on the decimal system. But that was yet to come, she somehow knew of the future! 

More references to past events occurred and Susan was seen mocking chemistry experiments, as if they were child's play to her. She also believed it was impossible to work anything out without using five dimensions; adding space and time to the three we're already familiar with. Susan was brilliantly mysterious. 

Susan now arrived at the gate, she looked around hoping she was unseen, and didn't notice her two school teachers. She went into the junkyard. In hindsight, Barbara being afraid of entering the junkyard claiming she thought she and Ian were about to 'interfere in something best left alone' was fantastic. The teachers had no idea what they were about to do. 

Upon entering the junkyard there was no sight of Susan. Ian noticed the police box, felt it, and excellently claimed it was alive! More intrigue. He walked around its entity and confirmed it wasn't connected to anything. Coughing was heard and Ian and Barbara quietly hid away. The apparent owner of the box was introduced, Susan's grandfather? The teachers interrogated the man, thinking he had Susan trapped inside the police box. The elderly man (who we all know as the Doctor but yet to be named) was insulted at the suspicions and accusations thrown against him. The schoolteachers planned on getting a policeman, but the Doctor wasn't worried. He thought their story of spying on a pupil was pretty humorous. 

To the Doctor's anger, Susan opened the police box door and called for her grandfather. The Doctor was worried and demanded the door be shut but Barbara quickly entered and the reaction was astounding! It was bigger on the inside! The camera showed the interior and it was quite impressive. Susan was at the console, it was a ship. Ian was confused at the bigger on the inside, Susan revealed the name of the ship. The TARDIS. Time and relative dimensions in space. Excellent. The TARDIS had different dimensions inside to what it had outside, and it could travel anywhere in time and space. A programme in the 1960s with a limited budget trying to pull off something like this was a brave decision, but one of true brilliance and genius that is the foundation of a fifty year history. Truly spectacular. 

The Doctor and Susan reveal they are not off Earth, not human, but they are wonderers in the fourth dimension. Quite beautifully put. They are cut off from their own planet and people. Ian and Barbara rejected what they couldn't believe. Susan claimed she was born in the 49th century. Ian didn't believe her but could see that she was adamant. 

The schoolteachers wanted to leave, but the Doctor wouldn't let them out. He laughed and as Ian attempted to open the doors the Doctor caused an electrical shock off of the console. The Doctor didn't want the idea of the TARDIS being present in the 20th century, it could affect history too much. Barbara was starting to understand and this confirmed to the Doctor that they couldn't be left to leave, not now, they knew too much. A struggle ensued and the Doctor had the upper hand, the very first materialisation in Doctor Who history was heard. The TARDIS was travelling, and they'd arrived somewhere. The teachers were passed out, and the lonesome police box had arrived on a deserted, desert like planet... And a shadow approached the TARDIS. A great cliffhanger! 

My analysis; 

For the very first episode of Doctor Who (albeit non-canonical), I thought The Pilot Episode was outstanding. It introduced the four characters who would be travelling time and space together excellently. The Doctor was presented as a stubborn man but with great affection for his granddaughter and his ship. Susan, was delved in mystery and I loved how she loved being at school and fitting into a time, her intelligence was fantastic. And then there's Ian and Barbara, two schoolteachers curious about a pupil and end up pushing their way into a time travelling spaceship that's bigger on the inside. As I previously mentioned, I love their professions! This was a great introduction, and I now look forest to seeing the changes in the broadcast version of this episode in what would become the very first episode of Doctor Who! 

Rating; 9/10- great introduction but a few too many production mistakes with a prop being knocked over and hearing the voice of the director.