Unlike previous Original Audio Soundtrack collections, none of these six stories are missing from the archive. Regardless, with linking narration from original cast members they gain a new lease of life here freed from the black and white television screen. As well as offering a flavour of the programme’s formative years, they showcase most of the principal cast line-ups too.
‘The Sensorites’ features the original crew of Ian, Barbara and Susan in a proper space adventure. While a little slow moving over its six episodes, there are some great moments of drama and a good role for Susan using her often forgotten telepathic abilities.
‘The Romans’ is a historical comedy. After a case of mistaken identity, the Doctor and Vicki head to Rome while Ian and Barbara are captured by slave traders. This is a broad farce with Hartnell on excellent form and a great guest turn from Carry On star Derek Francis as Nero.
Somewhat unloved, ‘The Space Museum’ offers a cracking first episode where the travellers find themselves out of time. The rest of the story is less impressive, but there are some great moments as the Doctor resists interrogation and they attempt to escape their own destiny as museum exhibits.
Visiting the future of the human race, ‘The Ark’ brings Stephen and chirpy new companion Dodo to a spaceship fleeing the destruction of Earth. A clever sci-fi conceit shows one of the potential perils of time travel as Dodo’s cold causes the fall of the humans to their slave-like servitors, the Monoids.
It is comedy again with ‘The Gunfighters’, when the Doctor goes in search of a Dentist and ends up being treated in Tombstone by the notorious Doc Holliday. Much confusion ensues with some appalling accents and an ungodly amount of singing. “The Ballard of the Last Chance Saloon” once heard, is never forgotten!
Finally, ‘The War Machines’ brings the TARDIS to 1966, where a supercomputer atop the Post Office tower plans to take control of the world. Callously writing out Dodo in favour of able seaman Ben and swinging Sixties gal Polly, this is a hint of the programme’s future as it sets the pattern for the present day adventures of the Troughton and Pertwee era. “Doctor Who is Required!”
If you’ve not tried it before, these soundtracks are a great way to get into early Doctor Who and are best sampled one episode at a time, as originally intended. Of course the real treat here is getting to know the character of the First Doctor, who was whimsical, unpredictable and downright hilarious at times.
Additional content: Each of the narrators, William Russell, Peter Purves, Maureen O’Brien and Anneke Wills engage in some chat with audio producers Mark Ayres and David Darlington. Topics of conversation include memories of the show and their respective careers both pre and post Doctor Who. These interviews run to approximately 73 minutes in total.
‘The Gunfighters’ supplies the full version, all twenty tracks worth, of ‘The Ballard of the Last Chance Saloon’ and ‘The Romans’ carries two Radio 4 excepts on the subject of Nero, as well as a six minute interview with Jessia Carney regarding her biography of her Grandfather, William Hartnell.
Also included in the pack is a bonus disc, containing PDFs of all the original camera scripts for those who wish to read along.
Released on 5 September 2013 by AudioGO.
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