The Doctor Who Real Time Marathon: The Savages

The Savages - Part One (28/05/06)

Okay, first things first. Part One? What happened to a new story title every week? Not that I'm complaining - this story is clearly about savages (or is it?).

This is a really good story so far, with a lot of mystery - are they really in the far future (yes, they are), who are the savages and are they as savage as they seem, how do the civilised people maintain their society, why never go outside, and what's their mysterious power source (it seems to be the savages!)?

Dodo has really come into her own in the last few weeks and here she's no exception, questioning the society and their blind acceptance and going off on her own to find out after seeing something suss. The Doctor also seems wary, questioning the leader, Jano, about how they power their society. Pity the guards' headgear is what the Robomen wore in the Dalek invasion story, but maybe the production team thought we'd forgotten - unless the Daleks are behind this (I really hope not - it's pretty good as it is, thanks). Really enjoying this (odd, since it's a Sci Fi) - seems we're back to the standard of story we saw at the start of the season.

Oh yeah, and the Doctor has a Reacting Vibrator!!! He he!!!



The Savages - Part Two (04/06/06)

Wow! The Doctor was suspicious of the Elders' society and waited for Dodo to tell him what she'd seen - she stumbled across a lab where they extract the savages' life force and fought the scientists off, which was cool - once they'd left the city. Then they found one of the savages, and Steven and Dodo went to get medicine from the TARDIS while the Doctor waited with him, but the Doctor was captured and taken back to the city where he had a cool speech condemning Jago and the Elders, but now they're draining the Doctor!

Meanhwhile, Steven and Dodo seem to have been accepted as allies by the 'savages'. This is really well written with a really interesting concept and a strong role for Dodo at least, if not for Steven so far. The title is interesting, too; who are the 'savages? The people dressed in skins and living in the wasteland or the advanced society that feeds off them and treats them like animals? Plus the cliffhanger has the Doctor caught and helpless and being drained of his life force. You know he won't die, because that's what they do.

God, tonnes happened this week! More than what happened in the entire run of the story with the Toymaker! Very, very good!



The Savages - Part Three (11/06/06)

Yet another really good episode with lots happening. Steven and Dodo were taken back to the savages' caves where they were tracked down by Exors, one of the guards. Steven finally got to do something, rallying the savages and figuring out a way to capture Exors. Nanina, a female savage, got to show that the savages are better than the Elders by being compassionate, and Steven and Dodo took the guard's Light Gun and went off to rescue the Doctor.

Meanwhile, Jano transferred the Doctor's energy to himself and has started to act like him, seeming to believe himself to be the Doctor. It could be that the Doctor's consciousness now inhabits Jano because when Steven and Dodo found the Doctor he was just grunting and didn't respond.

I think this is probably the most interesting and socially aware Sci Fi story the series has ever had! The writing's great with loads of impressive lines about standing up for yourself and such, plus the whole cast are playing it with such conviction, you can tell they know they've got something good here and are giving it their all. Can't wait to see what happens next!



The Savages - Part Four (18/06/06)

That was a really good story and possibly one of the most grown up stories so far. The Doctor, it seems, brought compassion and morality to Jano when he underwent transference and as a result Jano teamed up with the Doctor et al. and the savages and destroyed the transference machines.

Meanwhile, Edal (a guard) attempted a coup but failed, and the Elders and the savages were left to learn to live with each other in harmony - something difficult to do given the circumstances. So Steven stayed behind as mentor and leader to both communities.

Have to say, I didn't see it coming, but it made sense and the story had a very good point to make about social tolerance. Plus, no-one died! I think that's what made the Elders' guns worse - they didn't kill you, you were kept alive so they could continue to live off your energy while you went on in a weakened and subjugated state. Steven will have his work cut out!

Really liked this one - this season has been even more extreme than the last with really good stories surrounding some right dirge! Looking back, this time last year I was really not enjoying Ian and Barbara's final story - the week before Steven joined!

Comments

  1. phutty18/9/18 14:15

    Very much overlooked this, of course because it's entirely missing. I have to say I don't find it quite as convincing or exciting as you seemed to, but it's certainly got plenty to say for itself and some decent writing. Retroactively it can also be seen as the beginning of the end for the First Doctor, since you could argue that what happens to him here is what weakens him going into The Tenth Planet only three stories hence. (Not that they had that in mind at the time, I'm sure.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mooncalf18/9/18 23:09

      I've always seen Season 3 as the slow burn toward the First Doctor's natural death. Firtsly, you have the effects of the Time Destructor which ages Sara to death but seemingly has no effect on the Doctor. Obviously it does, but it isn't obvious because he's an alien with a much longer lifespan. Then you have an indication that his body is breaking down when one of Cyril's sweets damages his tooth at the end of The Celestial Toymaker. It's a little thing, but shows that the Doctor isn't as infallible as he seems. Then we have the events here where Jano feeds of his life force. He's in an already debilitated state, and by the time he encounters the Cybermen and the effects of whatever drains his energy during that story occurs it's too much and his body gives up. That added to the fact that Hartnell's ill health was becoming obvious on screen somewhat and it all seems to fit. It very clearly wasn't all planned that way, but it fits into a nice pattern that leads to the end for Billy. (I'm actually getting a bit emotional in the lead up to his last three stories and the introduction of my two favourite 60s companions, but that's all yet to come!).

      Delete
    2. phutty23/9/18 11:45

      Yep, when retconned it's actually a very satisfying and believable story arc :D

      Delete

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