TV #3: The Edge of Destruction

TARDIS crew;

• First Doctor

• Susan

• Ian

• Barbara 

Detailed Plot; 

The Edge of Destruction 

The first part of this story begins immediately where The Daleks ended, with the TARDIS seemingly malfunctioning and the crew abruptly being thrown back from the console. Immediately there is a sense of worry, mystery and danger. The Doctor is passed out, just like his three companions. It is unknown whether the TARDIS has materialised or if it's just drifting through space. Brilliantly, the camera spans out showing the interior of the control room. Empty. So what's caused this scenario? 

Barbara is the first to wake and she is immediately confused, displaying effects of amnesia. She sees Ian, somebody she's extremely familiar with by now, but refers to him as 'Mr. Chesterton' as if still in the Coal Hill school. Susan soon awake, and displays the same amnesiac effects, she also has a headache to add to her confusion. The Doctor is noticed to have picked up a nasty head wound, whilst Susan sees Ian and simply doesn't recognise him. She does though seem to know Barbara and the pair try to remember previous events leading to where they are now. But they were unsure. The last crew member to awake was Ian, and he thought he was in the school also, referring to Barbara as 'Miss Wright', as if he didn't really know her outside of work. The atmosphere was still, cautious and just mysterious. It was extremely tense. 

After closer examination, the cut on the Doctor's head wasn't as bad as first feared. The Doctor babbled, randomly saying that they 'can't go back.' Presumably referring to home for he and Susan. Or was it to Ian and Barbara about returning them to London 1963? It wasn't clear. In what could've been a breakthrough, Barbara soon knew she was in the TARDIS and that she had been for a little while now. However, danger struck, and the TARDIS doors were open. They'd opened by themselves, or had someone broken in? It was a thrilling thought! Or, in another frightening possibility, had they been forced open in a crash? I was hoping for answers. The Doctor though thought these theories were ridiculous and claimed them impossible. But the companions didn't quite agree, and had the idea in their heads that something or someone was inside the TARDIS. This theory gained stronger evidence when Ian approached the doors, and they closed automatically, simply locking him in. It seemed something was controlling the TARDIS and toying with the people inside as they opened again as Ian retreated. 

Susan was confused and tried fiddling with the controls but as she touched the console she received an electric shock and immediately fainted! Something wasn't right within the TARDIS. The Doctor was now beginning to stir as Susan was put to rest on her bed by Ian. To worsen things, it now seemed as though the TARDIS had a lack of water! It was empty, surely not a coincidence? Ian though somehow seemed to get some, or at least a liquid of sorts to help Susan cool. But as he returned to her bedside, she was awake and armed with scissors! She didn't know who Ian was and definitely saw him as a threat, before making the threats herself. She clearly was mentally unstable as she randomly stabbed thin air before fainting again. There was something seriously wrong. The atmosphere was filled with tension. 

The Doctor was now fully up and awake and aware of what the situation was. He was determined that the TARDIS had landed somewhere but nobody knew where or why this occurrence had happened. Everything was basically a mess. Barbara now thought someone was inside, or as she suggested, something- an intelligence of sorts. However, in what seemed to be a running theme of the stories so far, the Doctor ridiculed her theory. He simply thought there was a mechanical fault within the TARDIS. He went to observe the computer controls with Ian whilst Barbara kept an eye on Susan. 

Susan once again had the scissors in hand, and she seemed possessed. She was angry, and she didn't approve of Barbara hiding information about the situation from her. Susan's head was hurting though, and Barbara retrieved the scissors. Susan claimed that something was hiding, in one of the TARDIS crew. A dreary thought! Could it be possible? 

In an unexpected discovery, the Doctor deemed that all the controls were working perfectly. He now seemed sure the fault was caused by something from outside the TARDIS. Both the Doctor and Susan, the two people who had shocks from touching the console, suffered from neck pain. A connection. The Doctor though would try the console again, hoping to switch on the scanner and see what was outside. Something again wasn't right, as only photographs were portrayed. The doors suddenly burst open and a loud roar-like noise was heard. The pictures though soon changed, and it showed Quinnis, a planet in the fourth universe where the Doctor and Susan nearly lost the TARDIS a couple of journey's prior to An Unearthly Child. It sounded an interesting adventure and could easily be portrayed and shown in audio form, something I'd love for Big Finish to do. There was a reference to the TARDIS having a memory bank, keeping record of all its destinations. A useful tool that I hope is used in a future TV or audio story. 

In a sudden turn of events making the atmosphere turn extremely enigmatic, the Doctor blamed Ian and Barbara for the events and claimed they'd sabotaged the TARDIS and attacked he and his granddaughter. He thought they'd try to blackmail him into returning them to London. It was shocking but made a great twist! Barbara though courageously and excellently defended herself and Ian and made reference to how if it wasn't for them that the Doctor may well be stuck in the Cave of Skulls or prisoner of the Daleks, making great reference to the first two TV stories. She wanted the Doctor to thank them and have gratitude. I think this was the moment where it clicked to the Doctor that he needed the teachers there, to help him. He needed companions. 

Another twist occurred and the future seemed a long way away. All the clocks and watches seemed to have stopped. There was no way of recognising time. Just what the hell was going on? It was mysteriously brilliant! Time had a problem within the TARDIS. The Doctor now though turned into the butler, and brought his companions drinks. He just wanted to relax and think now, and clear his head. Susan went to Barbara and apologised for the Doctor's outrageous outburst. But the Doctor had one more trick up his sleeve, the others were asleep and the old man joyfully pranced around his ship as he was left awake and alone. He was at the controls, planning something, before hands from an unseen body grabbed him by the throat! A fantastic cliffhanger! 

The Brink of Disaster 

A very good second and concluding part that tied up the loose ends and ultimately provided a wonderful story to look back on. Following on from the great cliffhanger of The Edge of Destruction, the second part begins with the hands strangling the Doctor to be Ian's. It wasn't the most thrilling of revelations but it mightily increased the feeling of conflict and tension within the TARDIS. Ian seemed possessed, and soon collapsed after touching the console. Just like Susan previously, he too had collapsed. 

The Doctor soon turned on Ian and Barbara again, blaming them for causing the distress and problems on board his ship. He claimed Susan had been sabotaged and that Ian's fainting was all an act. Susan entered the console room, and firstly sided with her grandfather. The Doctor explained how Ian and Barbara must be 'treated as enemies.' A frightening turn. It seemed he'd lost all trust he had in his two companions who stowed aboard the TARDIS two serials prior. 

But Susan did confirm her similarities to Ian of how she fainted after contacting the console. Susan soon believed her schoolteachers now, and sided with them. However, the Doctor was adamant that he was correct and threatened to throw the schoolteaching pair off the TARDIS. He prized his ship and didn't like it being under threat! He was very serious about all this. 

A sudden twist of events occurred and the TARDIS danger signal sounded. The whole area of the faulticator alarmed, it seemed that everything was failing. Everything! How was that possible, and what affect would that have on the TARDIS and its travellers within. It was a drastic realisation. The Doctor, from this alarm, now knew that Ian and Barbara were completely innocent and he'd wrongly accused them in an outburst. He seemed very apologetic. But for now, he had one primary target- survival. The TARDIS was on the brink of destruction. 

The Doctor had completely misjudged the situation. Susan had counted that the faults were alarming every fifteen seconds. The Doctor knew a strong force was acting upon the TARDIS, something that could affect all the controls! Although he did not believe it to be an evil intelligence, and he knew it wasn't anybody within the TARDIS. So what was it? 

Barbara was thinking brilliantly now, claiming the TARDIS itself was giving them clues to lead to a resolution. Inside the ship, time has stopped, but with the alarms sounding every 15 seconds they now had a measurement. She believed because time was running out, it was being given back to them. The column at the centre of the console moved, this was worrying as there was no power, but it seemed the power at the heart of the ship wanted to escape. If the column was removed, then it would be free. 

The Doctor questioned the situation. He thought it was the end. He said they'd have ten minutes to survive. More clues were coming to Barbara and she now believed that the machine could think for itself! The Doctor showed, to some extent, a lack of knowledge about his ship and gave the indication that he knew little about it. Was it really his? However, that wasn't the matter at hand. Barbara believed the TARDIS was warning the companions and the nearer to the console they got, the blackouts and disruptions occurred. But the Doctor lied. He explained to Ian that there was only five minutes until destruction. The end was nigh, and he didn't want the women to know. He wanted them protected from the knowledge that they would die. The Doctor showed his newly increased respect and admiralty of Ian in asking him to face death with him.  

Susan and Barbara were watching by the doors to check what was outside if they were to suddenly open, as they did, it was discovered that there was nothing. Just space. Barbara though again found a clue, a breakthrough. She saw how the scanner was connected with the opening of the doors. They'd only open if a safe destination was portrayed onscreen. The Doctor then worked out that the scanner was showing them their journey, and the destruction was intended but the TARDIS itself simply refused to implode! The defence mechanism working perfectly. This again showed signs of the Doctor gaining knowledge of a ship he claimed to be his. He now knew they were at the very beginning of the creation of a solar system. A gigantic magnetic pull was affecting the power beneath the column and causing to it want to escape. The Doctor was excited at the prospect of where he was, talking about the birth of a sun and planets. He loved the prospect! And my love for William Hartnell's Doctor increased. 

Darkness soon struck. The Doctor recalled the events at the climax of The Daleks and how he'd pressed the 'fast return' switch hoping to take Ian and Barbara back to their home and time. But the problem was soon located, the switch hadn't released itself. The spring of the switch had come loose and was unconnected. A simple mechanical fault. But it was excellent and made perfect sense! Once the Doctor reconnected the spring, all systems resumed, the lights were back on and all was safe. The Doctor explained how the fault couldn't be detected because it technically wasn't one, it was as if it was continuously being pushed down. The Doctor excellently compared it to a torch. 

With all danger gone, the Doctor again was apologetic for his outrageous claims against Ian and Barbara. Barbara was annoyed and the Doctor felt he owed her something, especially after her brilliance in discovering about the clues. He admitted that he'd underestimated her. The Doctor was trying to apologise and explaining how as time goes on he'll learn more about her, and vice versa. The companions were all bonding as they got to know each other better. Two pairs becoming a set of four. Barbara was now forgiving, and the travellers could unite and continue their travels. 

They'd arrived on a new planet, and it was cold. Warm clothes were needed. Susan brought snow into the TARDIS in a joking snowball fight. The Doctor explained how he acquired Ian's large jacket from Gillbert and Sullivan! Susan and Barbara were seen on the scanner from inside, there was a huge footprint, claimed that it could only be made by a giant... A great lead into the next serial! 

My analysis; 

Overall I thought this was very good. With budget struggles keeping the serial contained within the TARDIS, it was always going to be a struggle to keep the viewer's interest, but this succeeded greatly! The cautious, mysterious and tense atmosphere shown for a large majority of the story was magnificent. The conflict between the travellers was also something I loved to see. I think this story is vitally important for future stories for a couple of reasons. Firstly, and more in relation with this season, the story has bonded the four travellers together and now they have a solid foundation of trust ironically created from conflict. They all care for one another and will look out for each other in future travels. I also think this serial was important because I think the realisation of the importance of companions really hit the Doctor. He knew he needed them. And that was clearly visible in the first two serials also. The resolution to the problem at hand was simple but perfectly logical which I liked. The signs of the TARDIS not being the Doctor's was also excellent. Overall a good story! 

Rating; 9/10- not quite full marks, maybe a bit more conflict and exploration!