Starting An Unearthly Child

Right now. Hoping it will fill the soon to be Primeval shaped hole in my life.

Not seen this story in a long while, looking forward to it.

The early Hartnell years from what I remember is among the best periods in the shows history. Such imagination, creativity and well thought out and atmospheric stories.

Good for you.

Although, An Unearthly Child is only really worth watching for part one in my opinion. The remaining three parts are pretty fucking boring if I'm being completely honest. 90% of parts two through four basically just consist of a bunch of horribly acted Neanderthals shuffling around moaning that "THEY NEED TO MAKE FIHAH".

The following story 'The Daleks' is when the show REALLY took off.

What I loved about the early episodes is that it dropped you into the middle of the story and you and the Doctor/companions all learned what was going on together. The audience didn’t know more than the Doctor and vice versa. It made the mystery aspects more fun. It was a far better approach for this kind of programme.

I could do without the “historical” episodes, though. Well at least without so many of them. There are reasons why there were fewer and fewer as the show aged.

Enjoy!

I've only seen it once. I remember the first episode being really atmospheric and eerie. The stuff in the junkyard is top quality. Don't recall much about the rest of the serial other than the cavemen.

I don't mind the historicals. The Massacre is by far the best one they ever did. That Steven/Doctor conversation at the end is more emotional than ANYTHING in Nuwho. Shame about Dodo, though.

Well I have to say that whole story held up really well. William Hartnell was excellent, as were all the leads. Barbara is a bit weak in that story though compared to later episodes. Don't worry I'm not saying that its sexist because of that LOL, just an observation.

The caveman stuff wasn't as bad as people make out. There are lots of brilliant scenes with the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan in the cave, like the notorious scene where Hartnell tries to stab the wounded caveman.

I think the second episode was the weakest. The bit where Hartnell first gets captured is as DeadManRising describes. My god for about 5 mins before Hartnell wakes up its just.

"I SAW THIS MAN MAKE FIRE"

"YOU NO MAKE FIRE"

" I SAW FIRE COME OUT OF HIS FINGERS"

"YOU NO MAKE FIRE"

I REMEMBER WHEN WE USED TO HAVE FIRE"

i SAW FIRE COME OUT OF HIS FINGERS"

"YOU NO MAKE FIRE"

"I REMEMBER WHEN WE USED TO HAVE FIRE"

Other than that though I thought that was a good start to the series. Roll on the Daleks, but first need to finish Primeval season 5.

I watched it again recently.

Perhaps I've seen the premiere too many times because the flaws are becoming more glaring. It's still very good, and certainly iconic, but I do feel that the dialogue especially could have been handled better in places. I guess we can't know exactly what is down to the script being that the single-take nature means that a lot of dialogue is partially ad-libbed.

The plot also comes across as fairly contrived. There are much darker implications that would actually explain things, but it isn't clear if they were intentional. Otherwise it's only, 'the teachers are curious about a strange pupil and the plot needs a reason for them to end up in the police box'.

The other three episodes aren't bad, they just feel a little light in my opinion. For an educational story I would have preferred more information, or implied research into the era. Instead it's just grunting men in caves talking in simple English with monosyllabic nomenclature, talking about sun worship, fire and skins.

I will clarify though that I do think this is a good story, this is mostly relative 'but we love it so' criticism.

hivebros, is za a leader or no?

There’s actually one of the most important scenes in all of Doctor Who in this story, which is why I hate when people say skip the caveman stuff. It’s when Ian stops the Doctor from potential killing someone to save his own life.

Some overblow this to make the Doctor much darker then he is, he’s just desperate and in a life and death situation, but it is important. This is the Doctor’s first step on becoming the hero of the series and why he comes to think more of humans. It was a simple, primitive human that took the high road and did the right thing even when the alternative was easier. It was Ian who showed him a better way.

The bit in part 4 when Za caves in Kals head with a rock is superb.

"The Tribe of Gum" gets a bad rap, the TARDIS crew interaction is every bit as good as "The Daleks" even if the location isn't as exciting or inspiring.