#one ep experiment

[thesilverdevastation]

PYGMY-OF-TRIVIALITY DID THE THING

IT IS DUDEBRO TEGANA

I AM SO HAPPY

(reposted with permission from pygmy-of-triviality)

[thesilverdevastation]

Marco Polo: Rider from Shang-Tu (recon) (5/7)

First broadcast: 21 March 1964. 

Basic plot summary: Team One tries to escape from Marco Polo, but is always foiled by creepster Tegana. 

Best moments: 

Ian and the Doctor fighting with swords

Susan and Ping-Cho being super cute together

This episode is best talked about via screencaps:

THIS IS THE BANDITS AND SWORD-FIGHTING PART.

THIS IS THE SUSAN AND PING-CHO BEING SUPER CUTE AND LOOKING AT FISH PART.

SHE IS UPSET BECAUSE SUSAN IMPLIED THAT PING-CHO HAS TO MARRY SOMEONE OTHER THAN SUSAN. 

Then they make heartbreaking promises to each other when Ping-Cho finds out Susan can never go home again without the TARDIS key. Ping-Cho: "I promised Mr Marco not to tell anyone where he put the key." To which Susan replies, her voice breaking: "And – and I promise you that no one will ask you."

MY HEART.

Meanwhile, this man doesn't look suspicious at all. 

I didn't believe that they would go there. 

BUT THEY WENT THERE. 

And when she gives the TARDIS key to Susan, Ping-Cho basically says, "I only promised him not to tell anyone. I NEVER PROMISED NOT TO STEAL IT FROM HIM."

PING-CHO YOU ULTIMATE BADASS.

But then this happens: Tegana walks past like any old bro-dude, saying, "Good night, ladies." 

YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS SHIT UP. 

QUICK

SOMEONE PHOTOSHOP A FEDORA ONTO TEGANA'S HEAD.

This also happens. A diversion, Ian-style.

And then this. Creepy romance novel cover of the year. 

[thesilverdevastation]

Marco Polo: The Wall of Lies (recon) (4/7)

First broadcast: 14 March 1964. 

Basic plot summary: Team One saves Barbara, but Tegana manages to turn Marco Polo against the travellers and has them taken prisoner. 

Best moments: 

everyone ships Susan and Ping-Cho

even if Tegana tries to break them apart

he informs Marco Polo of "that cunning Susan" who has "already won Ping-Cho from your side"

Susan, you extraterrestrial seductress

Marco Polo then forbids them to share a room

and when Ping-Cho and Susan give great evidence that Tegana is a lying liar who lies, Marco Polo shouts at them and says how dare they accuse him

Marco Polo, you dick

even Barbara ships it: "The only regret I have is for Susan. I think she and Ping-Cho are very fond of each other. It's a pity they've been kept apart so much."

my work here is done

The only worthwhile screencap of this episode is of Ping-Cho missing Susan. 

[thesilverdevastation]

Just a quick note to point out that the last episode of The Daleks seems to be missing from the #one ep experiment tag.

It’s fixed now! Thank you so much for letting me know. There is also the One Ep Experiment masterpost, should there be any more tagging failures on my part. 

[thesilverdevastation]

I've now made a one ep experiment masterpost for all your Classic Who recap needs. 

This is a public service announcement. 

[thesilverdevastation]

The Daleks: The Escape (3/7)

First broadcast: 4 January 1964.

Basic plot summary: Susan returns with the antidote and Team One hatches a plan to escape. 

Best moments: 

the "disgustingly mutated" Thals

seriously, the Thals

I'm kind of wary of how perfect Susan thinks they are, because her enthusiasm seems slightly fetishistic, but they are all tall and blond and muscular and not one of them can act

it's a lot of fun to watch

also there are so many great Team One moments here 

starting with Susan's letter

and the staged fight in which they "accidentally" break the Dalek surveillance camera

and finally, their escape

IAN HIDING IN THE DALEK CASING

IAN DOING THE DALEK VOICE

"IT'S VERY CRAMPED INDEEEEED."

BODY HORROR THAT IS HINTED AT WITH IAN AND THE DOCTOR REMOVING TINY ALIEN DALEK FROM ITS SHELL

CREEPY DALEK HAND COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE CLOAK

This is where last episode's build-up pays off. This episode is just delightful from start to finish.

Screencaps: 

The disgustingly mutated Thal's arm is bigger than Susan's head. 

"WOULD YOU CA-ARE FOR SOME TE-EEEA."

Thal posing in casually ripped latex trousers for no discernible reason. 

I'm pretty sure school was like this for everybody, yeah?

Team One breaking things like the BAMFs they are. 

Ian has an idea and I may just be a little bit in love with Barbara. 

IS THAT A SHINY LATEX CROWN. 

Susan and Ian just casually hanging out near the door. 

Ian goes rogue. 

[thesilverdevastation]

The Daleks: The Survivors (2/7)

First broadcast: 28 December 1963. 

Basic plot summary: Team One is taken prisoner by the Daleks just after they realize they all suffer from radiation sickness. The Daleks allow Susan to return to the TARDIS for the antidote. 

Thoughts: This is basically an episode with good, solid plot development, great pacing and writing, and only a few standout moments. It's hard to imagine how strange and mystifying (or perhaps just over the top?) the Daleks must have seemed to a 60's audience. By now we are so saturated with Dalek imagery that we can't see them in the same way anymore—not with fresh eyes. The first episode I ever saw featuring a Dalek was the eponymous Dalek and that one was gripping and terrifying. Was watching The Daleks back in the 60's anything like that? I mean, back then people must have assumed the Daleks were just a one-off villain. Hah! 

I say there aren't a lot of standout moments, but what's remarkable about this episode is this pervasive atmosphere of dread. This episode plays on postwar fears of radiation sickness, on postwar feelings in general, seeing as it takes place on a world that is suffering the literal fallout of atomic war. This raises the stakes on two big reveals: a) that the Doctor tricked his companions into thinking the TARDIS was broken in order to explore the dead city, putting everyone at risk, and b) that the Daleks have no intention of letting Team One make use of the antidote—they only want it so they can replicate it for their own use. 

A very satisfying follow-up to the first episode of this serial. 

Screencaps!

Our friendly homeowners have arrived and they do NOT want to invite Team One for tea. 

Ian is shot and paralyzed in a signature Dalek move. 

GROUP HUG.

The Doctor bargaining with the Daleks. The fact that the two parties are complete strangers to one another is the weirdest thing. 

DALEK HIGH FIVE.

[DALEKS CACKLING IN THE DISTANCE.]

[thesilverdevastation]

An Unearthly Child: The Firemaker (4/4)

First broadcast: 14 December 1963.

Basic plot summary: Despite helping Za make fire, Za keeps our team captive and wants to "join" his tribe with theirs. With the help of Susan they think of a diversion and manage to escape.  

Best moments: 

the fight between Cal and Za

team One working together to make fire

FIRST ACTUAL VISIBLE DEMATERIALIZATION OF THE TARDIS

Barbara to the Doctor when it turns out that returning to Earth is more complicated than they thought: "Are you saying that you don't know how to work this thing?"

A TROPE IS BORN

There seems to be a bit of a consensus that the cave people plot isn't all that compelling so what really makes this serial stand out is to observe how the foundations are laid for Doctor Who as we know it. So many things are already in place: the amazing sound design of the TARDIS dematerialization sequence and the opening titles; the fact that the TARDIS is alive and that the Doctor doesn't quite know how to fly her; the Doctor's somewhat alien sense of morality and reasoning. I love Barbara and Ian as companions, although Susan seems a bit underutilized at times. She could be so interesting! There were hints of that in the first episode but they seem to have abandoned her otherworldly oddness in favour of a more stereotypical portrayal of a teenage girl. 

Screencaps:

Ian is not quite convinced by caveman interior design. 

Hipster or caveman? Some hairstyles never go out of fashion.

Susan at the cinema watching the cavemen fight. 

Team One having a barbecue. 

Uh-oh.