Since it is the 50th
Anniversary I thought it would be interesting to do a top 10 for each of the
eleven Doctors. So this month we go back
to the sixties and the very beginning as we compile the Top Ten William
Hartnell Doctor Who Stories.
10. An Unearthly Child
Written By Anthony Coburn
Directed By Waris Hussein
Why It’s In The Top 10:
It was the one that
started it all. An Unearthly Child
introduced us to The Doctor and the TARDIS.
An Unearthly Child’s place in history for being the starting point for a
Doctor Who more than makes up for its short comings and the legion of fans
should be thankful for it.
9. The Aztecs
Written By John Lucarotti
Directed By John Crockett
Why It’s In The Top 10:
It is hailed by many to be
the best historical story in Doctor Who.
You have the human conflict that Barbara goes through to try and change
the Aztec people and make them a better people and go against their customs of
sacrificing people. Plus it’s the first
time The Doctor explains that you cannot change history.
8. The Romans
Written By Dennis Spooner
Directed By Christopher
Barry
Why It’s In The Top 10:
It is one of the funniest
stories in Doctor Who. It has a charm
about it and is not boring as most historical stories where. It is also a fun story to watch and there is
enough action and intrigued to keep the casual fan happy. Plus it is also William Hartnell at his best
as he gets to do a bit of comedy again.
7. The Dalek Masterplan
Written By Terry Nation
& Dennis Spooner
Directed By Douglas
Camfield
Why It’s In The Top 10:
It is the most epic and
longest story in Doctor Who’s history.
It stands at 12 episodes long and it pits The Doctor against The Daleks
and the madman Mavic Chen. It also has a
historical aspect to it that isn’t one of happiness as two companions Katrina and Sarah Kingdom, Sarah
Kingdom is a companion in my opinion, are killed off. This is the first time it has happened in Doctor Who. It is
so vast and long and such a complex story with lots going that it would be
pretty interesting to watch if it existed in full. Plus it also is the first appearance of
Nicholas Courtney in Doctor Who as he plays Bret Vyon.
6. The Edge of Destruction
Written By David Whitaker
Directed By Richard Martin & Frank Cox
Why It’s In The Top 10:
It is the only story to
take place entirely inside the TARDIS. It is a great story that pulls on the paranoia
of the travelers. Plus Barbara really
lays into The Doctor and shows a backbone as she refuses to be bullied by him. It is also a great science fiction story with
a pretty cool premise.
5. The War Machines
Written By Ian Stuart
Black
Directed By Michael
Ferguson
Why It’s In The Top 10:
It’s the first story to
take place in contemporary London. In
fact this story takes place during modern day and shows off the time very
well. It was neat to see The Doctor
working with the army and you could almost see The War Machines as a UNIT
story. It has The Doctor going up
against a computer that wants to take over the world with the aid of
brainwashing and use of The War Machines.
Plus it has the strangest of companions leaving ever as Dodo is just
whisked away and she tells The Doctor by a letter. Plus Ben and Polly join him in the TARDIS as
the new companions.
4. The Daleks
Written By Terry Nation
Directed By Richard Martin
& Christopher Barry
Why It’s In The Top 10:
Well it is the first
appearance of The Doctor’s greatest enemies The Daleks. It more or less got the phenomenon of Doctor
Who started as the popularity of The Daleks took off and was an immediate
success and money maker. Plus it is the
first time The Doctor goes to the future and to an alien planet. It just sets up a whole series of wonderful
stories and meetings between The Doctor and The Daleks.
3. The Celestial Toymaker
Written By Brian Hayles
Directed By Bill Sellars
Why It’s In The Top Ten:
The Doctor meets his
match. It is a really clever story with
lots of interesting characters. It is one of the few stories in Doctor Who that
the Doctor has to use his brains and outsmart his opponent. It takes place in another dimension where
games are played and are deadly to the player. For if you lose the games you
are trapped in the Celestial Toymakers dimension forever and you become one of
his playthings. It is a really clever
story as for most of it the Doctor is invisible and you only see his hands
playing the trilogic game. It is a
really clever story as The Doctor faces a foe he has meet before and one that
uses games as its weapon. The Celestial
Toymaker was one of the cleverer written stories from the 1st
Doctors era.
2. The Tenth Planet
Written By Kit Pedler
& Gerry Davis
Directed By Derek Martinus
Why It’s In The Top 10:
Well it’s pretty obvious
why this one is on the list. Not only
does it herald the Cybermen for the first time but it also is the first time
that The Doctor regenerates. A truly
historic story as we say goodbye to William Hartnell and welcome Patrick Troughton. Plus it is also a really good story and a
good way to introduce the Doctors second most popular and deadly enemy. Just look at the historical aspect of The
Tenth Planet. The Producers were so bold
to replace the actor to keep the show going by doing the regeneration. Good thing they did or else the show would
have ended.
1. The Dalek Invasion of Earth
Written By Terry Nation
Directed By Richard Martin
Why It’s In The Top 10:
Why it’s the return of The
Daleks and this time they are on Earth.
The Dalek Invasion of Earth is a story that is really well written and
with so many great moments. It is scary
because the Daleks are on Earth and cruising along landmarks we recognize. But for me the highlight is The Dalek coming
out of the Thames. That scene is truly a
classic. I would be remiss if I didn’t
mention the historical aspect of this story.
The Dalek Invasion of Earth is the first story where a companion leaves
the TARDIS. Susan leaves her grandfather
as The Doctor locks the doors on her and helps in making her decision to stay
with David. This story is quite the gem
of the First Doctor’s era and the best in my opinion.
Edge of Destruction is certainly my favourite of the Hartnell era so far but then I have not seen much of the Hartnell era.
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