Doctor Who's Tragical History TourDoctor Who's Tragical History Tour
  • Nu-Who
    • Ncuti Gatwa
    • Jodie Whittaker
    • Peter Capaldi
    • Matt Smith
    • David Tennant
    • Christopher Eccleston
  • Tweeners
    • John Hurt
    • Paul McGann
    • The Master List
    • Regeneration X
    • The Mystery Guest
    • The Hand of Fear
  • Colo(u)r
    • Sylvester McCoy
    • Colin Baker
    • Peter Davison
    • Tom Baker
    • Jon Pertwee
  • Monochrome
    • Patrick Troughton
    • William Hartnell
  • Tour du Jour
    • On This Day
    • The House of Holmes
    • 50 for 50
    • The Randomizer
    • THT Rand-o-pix of the Day
    • The Feast of Steven
    • Tour Notz
    • The Watcher
    • Contact the Tour
X (Twitter) Instagram Tumblr RSS
Doctor Who's Tragical History Tour
X (Twitter) Instagram Tumblr RSS
  • Nu-Who
    1. Ncuti Gatwa
    2. Jodie Whittaker
    3. Peter Capaldi
    4. Matt Smith
    5. David Tennant
    6. Christopher Eccleston
    7. View All

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    The Next-iest of Doctors

    May 29, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    B-Bye Bradley

    October 6, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    Now You Sea Devil, No You Don’t

    April 24, 2022

    E-Spaced

    August 4, 2023

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    The Dark Jacket Dimension

    November 13, 2021

    Bad Hair Month

    September 9, 2021

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    E-Spaced

    August 4, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    The Wedding of SMW

    August 27, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    The Next-iest of Doctors

    May 29, 2022

    The Dark Jacket Dimension

    November 13, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Ten Days Till the Tenthiversary of the Tenting of the Tenth

    December 22, 2019

    The Last ‘Last Christmas’ Specials Rankings #3

    December 24, 2018

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023
  • Tweeners
    1. John Hurt
    2. Paul McGann
    3. The Master List
    4. Regeneration X
    5. The Mystery Guest
    6. The Hand of Fear
    7. View All

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    Ten’ll Get You Five

    September 4, 2020

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    McGann Before McGann

    May 26, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    Fivey at Forty: The First Companion Death of 1982

    March 16, 2022

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023

    Ghost Re-Write

    November 16, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Dup-topia

    January 29, 2020

    The Glue Guy

    June 24, 2018

    Doctor on Doctor ACTION!

    November 19, 2017

    The Wheel in Cheese

    August 10, 2014

    The Hurt Locker

    May 25, 2013

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023
  • Colo(u)r
    1. Sylvester McCoy
    2. Colin Baker
    3. Peter Davison
    4. Tom Baker
    5. Jon Pertwee
    6. View All

    A Studio Film (or rather a film in the studio)

    June 9, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    Fivey at Forty: The First Companion Death of 1982

    March 16, 2022

    Roomba With a Prenumbra

    March 1, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    B-Bye Bradley

    October 6, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    The Inevitable Adric

    July 14, 2023

    The Box(ing) Day of Delights

    December 26, 2022

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    Destiny of the Costume Closet

    September 1, 2023

    The Inevitable Adric

    July 14, 2023

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    McGann Before McGann

    May 26, 2023

    The Warrior Before Time

    May 19, 2023

    Purple Shag Carpet

    May 11, 2023

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023
  • Monochrome
    1. Patrick Troughton
    2. William Hartnell
    3. View All

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    When Patrick (almost) Met Ian

    August 25, 2023

    When Patrick Met Verity

    August 11, 2023

    More For Letts

    July 25, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    When Patrick Met Verity

    August 11, 2023

    The TARDIS whirled on it’s way again…

    December 23, 2022

    Invasion of The Invasion

    December 17, 2022

    Toyz in the Good

    September 24, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (54→49)

    September 20, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Prelude

    September 8, 2023
  • Tour du Jour
    • On This Day
    • The House of Holmes
    • 50 for 50
    • The Randomizer
    • THT Rand-o-pix of the Day
    • The Feast of Steven
    • Tour Notz
    • The Watcher
    • Contact the Tour
Doctor Who's Tragical History TourDoctor Who's Tragical History Tour
Tour Updates

A Quarter to the Forehead

By -- DSWFebruary 28, 201502 Mins Read
Share
Twitter Tumblr

The long-held criticism of the earliest Hartnell stories not just from fans who only vaguely know of anything that predates 1989 but even for devotees of the classic era is that the stories are slow and confined, almost to the point of claustrophobia.  The rejoinder of course says, indeed must say that you have to remember this was 1964 (in the case of this weeks Classic Capitology contribution) and these issues have as much to do with the era in which these programs were made as with any ambition in terms of storytelling.  Take a look at the early Honor Blackman episodes of The Avengers to compare and contrast to these early Hartnells.

Nonetheless there are reasons why these long held presumptions about early Who stick, and The Sensorites is one of them.  A slow moving spaceship-bound story where the cast takes turns standing too-close together in various combinations in order to fill the camera frame and moving from set to set as the plot inched ever forward.

If this sounds overly critical it’s not meant to, merely that The Sensorites is small-bore in scope and ambition, almost certainly be necessity.  Despite being a relatively good story for Susan, the essential ‘interior’ nature of this story is stretched all-too thinly over six episodes to sustain a lot in interest.  Add to that Barbara gets two episodes off in the middle and Ian spends one episode flat on his back recovering from a poisoning attempt and you get the distinct impression that this was a series struggling to stay ahead of the bear of the production schedule.

Quite understandable… if lamentable.

By the way The Sensorites themselves are somewhat adorable trundling around in their footie pajamas.  The new caps offer a rather modest bump in quantity but a giant leap in quality.

Next time Classic Capitology will make your brown eyes blue.  Really.

Short Hops:
  • The Reason Why We're Here
    The Reason Why We're Here
  • Crusader Habit
    Crusader Habit
  • Hartnell Definition
    Hartnell Definition
Classic Capitology Tour Updates William Hartnell The Sensorites Carole Ann Ford
Share. Twitter Tumblr
Previous ArticleThe Fisher King
Next Article A Rose at Ten
Countdown to the 60th
THT Rand-o-Pix of the Day
Gallery Gateway

Who is The Mystery Guest?

The Peter Capaldi Galleries

The Jon Pertwee Galleries

The Colin Baker Galleries

The David Tennant Galleries

The William Hartnell Galleries

The Christopher Eccleston Galleries

Ncuti Gatwa -- Who Not Who!

The Patrick Troughton Galleries

The Sylvester McCoy Galleries

The Matt Smith Galleries

John Hurt -- Who Not Who!

The Paul McGann Galleries

The Tom Baker Galleries

The Peter Davison Galleries

The Jodie Whittaker Galleries

Last Ten Updated Galleries
  1. → Flux - Chapter 5: Survivors of the Flux
  2. → An Adventure in Space and Time
  3. → Smith and Jones
  4. → The Long Game
  5. → Genesis of the Daleks
  6. → Time-Flight
  7. → The Time Warrior
  8. → The Greatest Show in the Galaxy
  9. → Anthony Ainley -- Who Not Who!
  10. → Lalla Ward -- Who Not Who!
THT on Instagram
Tour Categories
  • Tour Updates (442)
  • New Who for You (167)
  • Roundel Roundabouts (224)
  • Tangential Tardis (43)
  • HD Re-classic-ation (31)
  • Modern Recap-itulation (42)
  • Classic Capitology (101)
  • Who Not Who! (31)
  • Xmas Marks the Spot (83)
  • 60 for 60 (3)
  • 50 for 50 (58)
  • Off the Reservation (16)
  • Ncuti Gatwa (3)
  • Jodie Whittaker (45)
  • Peter Capaldi (86)
  • Matt Smith (117)
  • David Tennant (112)
  • Christopher Eccleston (36)
  • John Hurt (14)
  • Paul McGann (27)
  • Sylvester McCoy (39)
  • Colin Baker (37)
  • Peter Davison (62)
  • Tom Baker (96)
  • Jon Pertwee (63)
  • Patrick Troughton (64)
  • William Hartnell (76)
  • Richard E Grant (7)
  • Jo Martin (3)
  • Series 14 (1)
  • Series 13 (16)
  • Series 12 (13)
  • Series 11 (9)
  • Series 10 (21)
  • Series 9 (17)
  • Series 8 (25)
  • Series 7 (17)
  • Series 6 (20)
  • Series 5 (14)
  • Series 4 (25)
  • Series 3 (9)
  • Series 2 (15)
  • Series 1 (19)
On This Day in Doctor Who History
  • September 25
    • 1976: The Masque of Mandragora [4]
    • 1965: Galaxy 4 [3-- [Air Lock]
  • September 26
    • 2015: The Witch's Familiar
  • September 27
    • 2014: The Caretaker
    • 1975: Planet of Evil [1]
    • 1980: Meglos [1]
    • 1986: The Mysterious Planet [4]
    • 1989: Battlefield [4]
  • September 28
    • 1968: The Mind Robber [3]
    • 1987: Time and the Rani [4]
  • September 29
    • 1979: City of Death [1]
    • 2012: The Angels Take Manhattan
  • September 30
    • 1978: The Pirate Planet [1]
    • 1967: The Abominable Snowmen [1]
  • October 1
    • 1977: The Invisible Enemy [1]
    • 1966: The Smugglers [4]

Random Thoughts
The Seven Specials of Christmas — #5
By -- DSWDecember 21, 2010 Roundel Roundabouts 1 Min Read
A Certain Star Quality
By -- DSWAugust 31, 2020 Tour Updates 2 Mins Read
Rogue Trip
By -- DSWNovember 28, 2010 Tangential Tardis 2 Mins Read

  • x
  • instagram
  • tumblr
  • rss

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.