WOTAN creates the World Wide Web 30 years early. This is a magnificent first go at the contemporary military story and great London location filming. We also get the first use of the then current BBC newsreader Kenneth Kendall to enhance the menace - something 21st century Who does frequently under RTD. And whilst it is very sad about how Dodo is written out, I really like the vibe with Ben and Polly.
And I feel the same about those examples when watching those stories too - not barriers preventing me from enjoying them, just a slight questioning at the back of my brain.
AI, networking, wifi 1966 style. To say this story was ahead of its time is an understatement. This story was the prototype for what was to come in the Troughton and especially Pertwee eras.
I'd like to see Wotan (somehow secretly surviving and being rebuilt), and the War Machines make an unexpected return to Doctor Who as a major threat one day with a recognisable but slightly updated and improved design, perhaps in a UNIT story and perhaps in that story reforms and becomes valuable allies to the Doctor and UNIT, setting up a showdown between them and an invading enemy of some kind later on.
The War Machines used to be my favorite Hartnell story until The Time Meddler edged it out in recent years. It’s really nice to have a Hartnell story in contemporary times for a change. (I don’t count Planet of Giants as a true contemporary story because the size difference made it impossible to interact normally with their surroundings.) I understand why contemporary stories would have been difficult with Ian and Barbara on board… as they could have jumped ship… but surely contemporary stories could have been incorporated with Steven and Vicki on board, as neither were native to 1960s Earth. While Dodo’s departure was weakly incorporated into the story, Dodo does seem like the type of companion who would simply leave on a whim to do something else… and just “send her love” instead of saying a proper goodbye. And she was back home in her own time, so it’s not a stretch. Plus we get Hartnell’s hilarious reaction “HER LOVE?!” which makes it worth it. If I felt a stronger emotional connection to Dodo, I’d probably be more disappointed. (Imagine Sarah Jane Smith getting that kind of exit.) But I’m okay with it for Dodo, especially because Ben and Polly are much more interesting companions. For me, the weakest part was “Doc-tor-who-isssss-re-quired.” It’s as if someone forgot the difference between the show name and the character name.
When I traveled to the U.K, for the second time in 1987 (first in 1884) with my Parents -I knew Who more. On American PBS, I’d seen Six Doctors. We stayed a week in London, at hotel in Bloomsbury, in the shadow of the Tower…the Post Office Tower…I found the square where the TARDIS resided. And, the location shared with the 3rd Doctor “mind of evil”, down by Albert Hall. And, other Who locations. I was 18 years, in 1987, and could go for a pint at a Pub, while ready to start University back in my Ohio, a week after return. I’ve gotten back to the UK, and London, a few times, recent 2019,…and the Telecom Tower (or what name it has now) continues to be a favorite, waiting for War Machines!
Dodo out abruptly. Ive heard people say the Doctor was out of character with his tingle feeling in his hands - i think he mentions daleks. But the Evil of the Daleks is based on the same day as this story if i recall. Its a good story and the Doctor is in fine form this story would worked well as a Third Doctor story. I mean it has many beats that the third doctor would act and do. I wonder if The Green Death AI computer is based on Wotan or did Vaughn fund Wotan? Lol.
I enjoyed the War Machines immensely. Probably the best companion intro episode since Vicki and Ben and Polly are just always fun. I love seeing the First Doctor on "modern day" earth because of how self assured he is there. From "Rememberance of the Daleks" we know he was definitely around and up to things in London before Ian and Baraba came along so I love your headcannon that he was working his way into scientific society.
With Doctor defending the earth stories becoming so prominent in subsequent years and probably even more so in the revived series it's weird to think of a time when having a story set around present day earth was a novelty
Ben and Polly are very underrated as companions imo they work so well together and with both Doctors they traveled with. I wonder how they stories would have played out had Ian and Barbara stayed until the regeneration story 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 Ian, Barbara, Ben, Polly and the Doctor. That could be quite fun 😃😀😀😀😀😀
That combination of companions meeting is something I now want to be told! (If it hasn't already in a novel I haven't read or nestled away in a short story somewhere)
When referring to contemporary earth I’m often surprised that Planet of Giants gets left out. Although no year is given various publications put it anywhere between 1962 and 1969. Essentially Ian and Barbara are home, just the wrong size lol. So near and yet…
That's true but I suppose I've always considered the contemporary Earth setting of that one pretty far removed from the premise of the story and the adventure of our heroes. So maybe that's also what stops people from counting Planet of Giants as the first contemporary Earth story? You're right, it is definitely set on contemporary Earth despite no year being given in it but maybe if the heroes had even one scene, either at the beginning or the end, where they fully interact with the setting as normal instead of insect-sized it would be more obviously one? I don't know and can't speak for other people, I just know that there's a barrier for me considering it the first example of a certain type of Doctor Who story, whereas The War Machines is very definitely that first example.
‘They moved to the country and decided to stay there’ is the sort of off-screen ending you’d expect for an Eastenders character played by a recently disgraced actor. Poor Dodo.
Hey, if one could include Bonnie Tyler, running through the warehouse, in her white robe, though dry-ice, even without the dancing students and bikers, etc I would watch that, for fun 😎 Digitally, get Polly to sing and dance, clones of Ben and Dodo dance! Digital skills talent.
The production team's lack of care over Jackie Lane's departure borders on unprofessional. There is no reason why a scene couldn't have been written where Dodo gets to explain herself why she wants to leave the TARDIS. Whether it was in studio or a pre-filmed scene. She has two obvious, good reasons to leave: she's back in 1960s London, and having her mind taken over by WOTAN has scared her too much to carry on. Leaving half way through isn't the problem, it's the lack of respect for the character, the audience, and of course Jackie Lane herself.
Good story with great moments and a really poorly written exit for Dodo. So glad that she’s being done better by Big Finish in the current run of First Doctor Adventures.
